Another Look at Timing of Stroke Thrombectomy

For ischemic stroke, the core infarction can develop within minutes, but the ischemic penumbra can withstand hours of deprivation before darkening into infarct. It is no wonder that the benefits of endovascular thrombectomy for acute large-vessel occlusion stroke have been shown to be time-sensitive, but just how sensitive? The aim of this study was to estimate the impact of treatment delays on a summary measure of health that accounts for both years of potential life lost from premature mortality and the diminished health-related quality of life caused by long-term disability. Investigators from the HERMES Trialists Collaboration pooled patient-level data from seven randomized trials of stent retriever devices versus medical management for…