Endovascular therapy using mechanical thrombectomy devices for acute ischaemic stroke

The aim of this project was to examine the effectiveness and safety of mechanical thrombectomy plus standard of care versus standard of care alone, in adults aged 18 years or older with acute ischaemic stroke in the anterior and/or posterior region. CE-marked aspiration/suction devices, and stent and coil retrievers, were included in the analysis. The assessment of effectiveness includes evidence from a systematic review of randomised controlled trials (RCTs); the assessment of safe-ty includes evidence from RCTs, prospective clinical studies, medical device adverse event regis-ters and postmarketing surveillance data on device-related adverse events. Outcome measures of effectiveness considered in this analysis include the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) and all-cause mortality at 90 days (primary outcomes). The National Institutes for Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), the Barthel Index, and reperfusion and/or revascularisation at final angiography were also consid-ered (secondary outcomes). Outcome measures of safety that were considered included symp-tomatic intracerebral haemorrhage (SICH), any cerebral haemorrhage, recurrent ischaemic stroke at 90 days, and device-related adverse events.