title: Future trials of endovascular mechanical recanalisation therapy in acute ischemic stroke patients: a position paper endorsed by ESMINT and ESNR : part I: Current situation and major research questions.
abstract: A new era of stroke treatment may have begun with mechanical thrombectomy (MT) by fully deployed closed-cell self-expanding stents (stent-triever). Multiple case series and the first randomised controlled trials (RCTs) have now been published. More studies are under way involving large numbers of patients, which in turn has resulted in less strict "pragmatic" study protocols. Problems with current trials include a lack of standardisation in the conduct of the recanalisation procedure, the definition of primary endpoints such as the grade of arterial recanalisation and tissue reperfusion, and the post-surgical care provided. In Part 1 of this two part series, we outline the current situation and the major research questions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroradiology, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany. fiehler@uke.uni-hamburg.de
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fiehler
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Söderman
authors.forename: Francis
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Turjman
authors.forename: Philip M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Søren Jacob
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Bakke
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mangiafico
authors.forename: Rüdiger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: von Kummer
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Muto
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cognard
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gralla
mesh_terms: D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D005060:Europe; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D020767:Intracranial Thrombosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D059906:Neuroimaging; D015641:Radiography, Interventional; D012107:Research Design / Q000592:standards*; D012955:Societies, Medical; D015607:Stents; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D013673:Technology Assessment, Biomedical; D017131:Thrombectomy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*