title: Developments in mechanical thrombectomy devices for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke.
abstract: Several recent prospective randomized controlled trials of endovascular stroke therapy using latest generation thrombectomy devices, so called stent-retrievers, have shown significantly improved clinical outcome compared to the standard treatment with intra-venous thrombolysis using r-tPA alone. Despite some differences in inclusion criteria between these studies, all required non-invasive vessel imaging to proof occlusion of a major brain supplying vessel. Furthermore, in most studies additional imaging techniques were used to exclude patients with already established large cerebral infarction or unfavorable collateral or penumbral status. Patients with small infarct volume, severe neurological deficits and in whom thrombectomy can be initiated within the first 6 hours after symptom onset seem to benefit the most. Therefore, mechanical thrombectomy using stent-retrievers in addition to intra-venous thrombolysis is recommended for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke with proven major vessel occlusion in the anterior circulation.
authors.affiliation: a Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology , University Hospital Bern , Bern , Switzerland.
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mordasini
authors.affiliation: a Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology , University Hospital Bern , Bern , Switzerland.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gralla
mesh_terms: D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D015607:Stents; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy*; D017131:Thrombectomy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000601:surgery
keywords: Acute ischemic stroke; clinical outcome; clinical trials; distal thrombectomy; endovascular stroke treatment; mechanical thrombectomy; proximal thrombectomy; stent-retriever