Current gaps in acute reperfusion therapies

Advances in intravenous thrombolysis and endovascular thrombectomy have significantly reduced disability and improved outcomes associated with acute ischemic stroke.

An expansion of indications for reperfusion therapies in select groups of patients to permit treatment in an extended time window, with large ischemic core, and with simplified imaging protocols have enabled a broader group of patients access to disability-sparing therapy. Cerebroprotection has had renewed development in the era of acute reperfusion.

In this review, we highlight recent developments in stroke reperfusion research and related questions that are under study or remain unanswered.