Clinical outcomes after endovascular thrombectomy in different triage methods

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Interventional Neurology
• Emergency Medicine

Background:

• Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) requires timely intervention for optimal outcomes.
• Mechanical thrombectomy is a key treatment for AIS.
• Different treatment and transport strategies exist, including drip and ship (DS), non-drip and ship (non-DS), and mothership (MS).

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the drip and ship (DS) strategy for AIS.
• To compare DS with non-drip and ship (non-DS) and mothership (MS) treatment approaches.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 62 AIS patients undergoing mechanical thrombectomy.
• Patients categorized into three groups: DS, non-DS, and MS.
• Comparison of time metrics (onset to groin, onset to needle, IV thrombolysis to puncture) and multimodal CT features.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in baseline characteristics or post-operative variables among groups.
• DS group had longer onset to groin time than MS (395 min vs 244 min).
• DS group had shorter onset to primary stroke center time than non-DS (90 min vs 463 min).
• MS group had shorter onset to needle time than DS (151.2 min vs 111.8 min).

Conclusions:

• Drip and ship (DS) is a safe and effective treatment modality for AIS.
• DS does not increase the risk of postoperative complications or mortality compared to non-DS and MS.
• Findings provide a reference for selecting optimal transport modes for AIS patients.