title: Thrombolytic and newer mechanical device treatment for acute ischemic stroke.
abstract: For 8 years, only intravenous tissue plasminogen activator was approved by the US FDA for acute stroke treatment. The US FDA has now cleared the Merci Retriever (Concentric Medical, Inc.), a corkscrew-like device attached to a catheter, for the removal of clots causing ischemic strokes. Since the clearance was based on nonrandomized treatment trials, practitioners must scrutinize available data describing effects of the device on recanalization of the vessel, outcomes and important adverse events, such as symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage. This article reviews the study findings that are likely to contribute to current treatment decisions.
authors.affiliation: Oregon Stroke Center and Associate Professor, Oregon Health & Science University, Department of Neurology, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, CR 131 Portland, OR 97239-3098, USA. lutseph@ohsu.edu
authors.forename: Helmi L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Lutsep
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D020300:Intracranial Hemorrhages / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D020521:Stroke / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017131:Thrombectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator