Role of the Critical Care Resuscitation Unit in a Comprehensive Stroke Center: Operations for Mechanical Thrombectomy During the Pandemic.

Introduction: Standard of care for patients with acute ischemic stroke from large vessel occlusion (AIS-LVO) includes prompt evaluation for urgent mechanical thrombectomy (MT) at a comprehensive stroke center (CSC). During the start of the coronavirus 2019 pandemic (COVID-19), there were reports about disruption to emergency department (ED) operations and delays in management of patients with AIS-LVO. In this study we investigate the outcome and operations for patients who were transferred from different EDs to an academic CSC's critical care resuscitation unit (CCRU), which specializes in expeditious transfer of time-sensitive disease.

Optimal Angiographic Goal and Number of Passes for Octogenarians Undergoing Endovascular Stroke Thrombectomy.

Background: The optimal recanalization goal and number of endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) passes for elderly patients with large vessel occlusion strokes is unclear.

Methods: Consecutive patients 80 years or older undergoing EVT were identified from 2016 to 2022 at a single center. Clinical information, procedural details, and modified treatment in cerebral ischemia (mTICI) scores were collected.

Predictors for large vessel recanalization before stroke thrombectomy: the HALT score.

Background: Large vessel recanalization (LVR) before endovascular therapy (EVT) for acute large vessel ischemic strokes is a poorly understood phenomenon. Better understanding of predictors for LVR is important for optimizing stroke triage and patient selection for bridging thrombolysis.

Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, consecutive patients presenting to a comprehensive stroke center for EVT treatment were identified from 2018 to 2022.