Conference Coverage
Three trials cement embolectomy for acute ischemic stroke
Key clinical point: Results from three randomized, controlled trials confirmed the safety and dramatic efficacy of endovascular embolectomy for...
NASHVILLE, TENN. – Newly reported results from three trials showing “profound” benefit from endovascular embolectomy in selected patients with acute ischemic stroke “will have a major impact on how we treat stroke patients,” Dr. Lee H. Schwamm said during an interview at the International Stroke Conference.
“Many centers already provide this treatment, but this is the first time we have data on which patients to select” for catheter-based embolectomy, said Dr. Schwamm, professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School and director of acute stroke services at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. “Because we already have the capability in many centers, the first focus will be to extend the number of centers that can do this,” Dr. Schwamm noted.
An important part of that will be “changing the public health system to route patients to appropriate facilities” that can perform embolectomy, he said at the conference, sponsored by the American Heart Association.
Dr. Schwamm also noted that intravenous, thrombolytic treatment with tissue plasminogen activator (TPA) remains unchanged as the key first treatment for all patients with acute ischemic stroke. Following that, selected patients who do not fully respond to TPA should proceed to embolectomy. However, the new findings “do not suggest that you should avoid TPA and go directly to the catheter,” Dr. Schwamm cautioned.
The video associated with this article is no longer available on this site. Please view all of our videos on the MDedge YouTube channel.
On Twitter @mitchelzoler