Image-guided delayed recanalization of middle cerebral artery occlusion

Recent advance in devices, techniques, and peri-procedural patient management in the conduct of mechanical thrombectomy enables neuro-interventionists to recanalize occluded cerebral arteries with greater efficiency and safety than ever. It is conceivable that there exist a group of stroke patients who would benefit from recanalization beyond 24-h time window following the onset of symptom, if viable brain tissue remains at that time. We report a case of a 56-year-old patient who received mechanical thrombectomy 96 h after the onset of symptoms by diffusion/perfusion imaging. The application of advanced neuroimaging and analytical software can accurately estimate viable brain tissue, which enables clinicians to implement individualized therapeutic strategies for patients with acute stroke.