Extended window for stroke thrombectomy

Objective: Mechanical thrombectomy is the standard treatment for large vessel occlusion (LVO) in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) up to 6 h after onset. Recent trials have demonstrated a benefit for wake-up strokes and patients beyond 6 h. Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted for multicenter randomized clinical trials (RCTs) investigating endovascular stroke treatment using perfusion imaging to identify patients that may benefit from mechanical thrombectomy for AIS beyond 6 h of onset. Random effects meta-analysis was used to analyze the following outcomes: 90-day functional independence rates with modified Rankin Scale (mRS ≤2), 90-day mortality, and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) rates. Further stratification was carried out by age and presentation. Results: Two multicenter RCT’s were included as follows: DAWN and DEFUSE-3. Pooled 90-day functional independence rates favored endovascular management (odds ratio [OR] 5.01; P