Studies at SNIS Show More Stroke Patients Could Benefit From Thrombectomy

August 10, 2022—At the Society of NeuroInterventional Surgery’s (SNIS) 19th annual meeting held July 25-29 in Toronto, Canada, new studies were presented that show that thrombectomy, typically reserved for treating large vessel occlusions (LVOs), achieved positive outcomes for individuals experiencing other types of strokes. Expanding eligibility for this lifesaving treatment will give more patients a better opportunity for a successful recovery and rehabilitation after stroke, noted SNIS in the society’s press release.

The first study, “Technical and Clinical Outcomes in Distal Occlusion Thrombectomy by Frontline Technique – A Multicenter Study,” was an analysis of outcomes in approximately 7,500 patients undergoing thrombectomy for different types of stroke at 32 centers across the United States.

According to SNIS, the investigators found that clinical outcomes for distal vessel occlusions are comparable to those for patients experiencing LVOs.

Lead author Ali Alawieh, MD, commented in the SNIS press release, “Thrombectomy has changed the way medical professionals care for patients with stroke. If more stroke patients can experience this lifesaving treatment, we want to ensure that happens.” Dr. Alawieih is a neurosurgery resident at Emory School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Alawieh et al published the study online in Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery.

The second study was “Real-World Outcomes of Endovascular Thrombectomy for Treatment of Acute Basilar Artery Occlusion in the United States: Results of the BArONIS Study.” In this study, approximately 4,000 patients experiencing an acute basilar artery occlusion were treated with thrombectomy. The oral abstract of the study Alis Dicpinigaitis et al is available online in Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery.

As noted in the SNIS press release, there has been little research about the effectiveness of thrombectomy when it comes to this type of stroke, but the results showed patients who underwent this procedure achieved more favorable outcomes.

Lead investigator Fawaz Al-Mufti, MD, commented, “Patients who receive a thrombectomy increase their life expectancy by 5 years compared to patients who do not. For every 10 minutes saved in getting a thrombectomy, patients experience an additional month of life free from disability. Furthermore, basilar artery occlusion stroke is associated with 40% mortality and of the survivors, 80% have severe deficits. This is especially true for basilar artery occlusion stroke patients with high [National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale], where endovascular thrombectomy portends a mortality and disability benefit.”

Dr. Al-Mufti is an interventional neurologist at Westchester Medical Center and Assistant Dean for GME Research at New York Medical College in Valhalla, New York.