Endovascular therapy for acute stroke is a safe and efficient evolving method: a single-center retrospective analysis

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Interventional Radiology
• Vascular Medicine

Background:

• Acute stroke, particularly large vessel occlusion (LVO), remains a leading cause of disability.
• Effective reperfusion therapies are critical for improving clinical outcomes in stroke patients.
• Endovascular therapy has emerged as a promising treatment modality for LVO.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the clinical outcomes of patients with acute stroke treated with endovascular therapy.
• To assess changes in recanalization rates, procedure times, and complication rates over a 4-year period.
• To determine the impact of endovascular therapy on patient functional status at hospital discharge.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective analysis of 134 acute stroke patients with LVO treated between 2009 and 2012.
• Patients underwent endovascular therapy following CT perfusion and CT angiography assessment.
• Outcomes measured included recanalization rates, time to recanalization, periprocedural complications, and modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores.

Main Results:

• Recanalization rates improved significantly from 70% to 94% (P ≤ .01) between 2008-2009 and 2011-2012.
• Procedure time decreased from 124 to 43 minutes (P ≤ .01), and complication rates dropped from 21% to 2% (P ≤ .01).
• Patients treated in 2011-2012 had a lower probability of poor functional outcome (mRS ≥ 2) compared to those treated in 2009-2010.

Conclusions:

• Endovascular therapy is a safe and effective treatment for selected acute stroke patients with intracranial large vessel occlusion.
• Continuous improvement in technique led to higher recanalization rates, reduced complications, and better clinical outcomes.
• The study highlights the evolving success of endovascular approaches in managing acute ischemic stroke.