Highly Visible Wall-Timer to Reduce Endovascular Treatment Time for Stroke

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Interventional Radiology
• Healthcare Operations

Background:

• Endovascular therapy is crucial for acute ischemic stroke with large vessel occlusion but is time-sensitive.
• Significant treatment time occurs after patient arrival in the angio-suite.
• This study investigated the impact of a visible timer on endovascular treatment duration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the effect of a highly visible timer on endovascular treatment time in the angio-suite.
• To assess the impact on door-to-groin time and other secondary outcomes.
• To evaluate the timer's effectiveness across different anesthesia types.

Main Methods:

• Prospective, pseudorandomized study over 32 weeks at a single stroke center.
• Timer use was alternated in 2-week intervals (on/off).
• Primary outcome: angio-suite-to-groin time; secondary outcomes included intubation and recanalization times, and 90-day mRS.

Main Results:

• The timer was used in 38 of 97 mechanical thrombectomies.
• Angio-suite-to-groin time was significantly reduced with the timer (28 vs. 33 minutes, P=0.02).
• This 5-minute reduction was maintained after adjusting for intubation status; no difference in 90-day mRS was observed.

Conclusions:

• A highly visible angio-suite timer can achieve a modest yet meaningful reduction in endovascular treatment time for stroke patients.
• The intervention is low-risk and low-cost.
• Stroke centers should consider implementing visible timers to optimize treatment times.