Specialized catheter used to save man suffering from stroke

A new specialized catheter saved a father’s life in September.

On the side of a rural road on the way to Lake City, Ronald Rentz sat in his car unable to move fearing the worst. He could die or be paralyzed leaving his family to care for him for the rest of his life.

Rentz, who was on his way to his primary care doctor for routine blood work, managed to pull off the side of County Road 125 after his eyes became blurry and was sweating heavily.

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"It was like somebody dumped a bucket of water on me. It was quick," Rentz said. "Then my lips started tingling and I couldn't move my left hand which was on the steering wheel or my left leg. I was completely paralyzed on the left side."

Rentz, 66, had remembered the signs of a stroke and knew he was in the mist of having one. He usually keeps his phone in his left pocket, but luckily on this day it was in his cup holder to his right. He was able to pick it up and dial 911.

But his right side was also being impacted and he could hardly get the phone to his ear or talk.

"I got the word stroke out," said Rentz, of Glen St. Mary, who is married with two grown children. "I remember saying a prayer in the truck while waiting for the rescue unit - 'If it's time for me to go, I'm ready. But, please don't leave me like this for my family, unable to talk and completely paralyzed."

When paramedics arrived he was able to get out the name of the school where his wife works, the paramedics superbly recognized Rentz was having a major stroke and activated the Baptist transfer center's dedicated stroke line to connect to the Baptist stroke team. He was taken by ambulance to a nearby helicopter pad and in a matter of minutes he arrived at Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville's Stroke and Cerebrovascular Center, which is the leader in the region for stroke care.

After obtaining a CT scan, a major ischemic stroke (lack of blood flow) was identified. He then immediately received the clot-buster tPA medication and advanced vascular imaging was conducted.

Neurovascular surgeon Ricardo Hanel, MD, PhD, and director of Baptist's Neurological Institute, said both of Rentz's arms and legs were essentially paralyzed when he arrived. Dr. Hanel was able to go through Rentz's groin with a new specialized catheter up to his brain and remove the clot using the latest clot-removing devices.

Rentz has fully recovered from his stroke.

"It's amazing you're alive and well. You're here speaking, walking and thinking. It's a blessing, a miracle," said Dr. Hanel.

Cox Media Group