New stent retriever devices

Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is among the leading causes of adult death and number one cause of severe disability in the United States. In 1995 physicians had their first available Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved treatment for AIS in the form of intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV-tPA). Since then, there has been an explosion of interest into endovascular mechanical thrombectomy as a potential treatment of stroke. Beginning in 2004 with the Merci Retriever, there have been multiple devices tested for this purpose. In 2012, the FDA approved two new devices-the Trevo Pro and Solitaire stent retrievers-after they were shown to have superior rates of recanalization when compared to the Merci device. In this article we will highlight the similarities and differences in the devices themselves, and the trials that brought them into use. Lastly, we will briefly touch on the future of mechanical embolectomy and considerations for future trial designs and patient selection.