Alberta woman beats death after procedure using new tool removes COVID-19 blood clot

Calgary–Alberta Health Services says a woman considered dead for 30 minutes was brought back to life by Calgary physicians using a new device for what's believed to have been the first time in Canada.

Brenda Crowell of Calgary contracted COVID-19 earlier this year and developed a pulmonary embolism in May.

Dr. Jason Wong with the Foothills Medical Centre says his team received approval to use the device—the Indigo Lightening CAT12—to extract the blood clot from Crowell's lungs.

The CAT12 is a tube the size of a large drinking straw and allows medical experts to remove larger blood clots than previously able with a minimally invasive procedure.

Read: Amputations, organ failure, blood clotting: the range of complications in COVID-19 cases

Crowell says it's a miracle to be alive after spending almost a month in hospital, including eight days in a medically induced coma.

She hopes her experience encourages others to get vaccinated, as it did for herself and her family.

"People say there aren't miracles anymore, but there are because I don't think I'd be here if it wasn't for the touch of God,'' says Crowell.

"I can't believe what happened to me and how sick I was, how close to death I was.''