J Clin Neurol.  2015 Jan;11(1):1-8. 10.3988/jcn.2015.11.1.1.

Endovascular Therapy for Ischemic Stroke

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
  • 2Departments of Clinical Neurosciences and Radiology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
  • 3Departments of Clinical Neurosciences and Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
  • 4Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
  • 5Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
  • 6Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
  • 7Departments of Clinical Neurosciences, Medicine, Radiology, and Community Health Sciences, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada. michael.hill@ucalgary.ca

Abstract

The utility of intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV t-PA) in improving the clinical outcomes after acute ischemic stroke has been well demonstrated in past clinical trials. Though multiple initial small series of endovascular stroke therapy had shown good outcomes as compared to IV t-PA, a similar beneficial effect had not been translated in multiple randomized clinical trials of endovascular stroke therapy. Over the same time, there have been parallel advances in imaging technology and better understanding and utility of the imaging in therapy of acute stroke. In this review, we will discuss the evolution of endovascular stroke therapy followed by a discussion of the key factors that have to be considered during endovascular stroke therapy and directions for future endovascular stroke trials.

Keyword

endovascular therapy; stroke; mechanical thrombectomy

MeSH Terms

Stroke*
Tissue Plasminogen Activator
Tissue Plasminogen Activator

Figure

  • Fig. 1 Key factors for success in endovascular stroke trials.


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