The Use of Stentrievers in Acute Ischemic Stroke: Performance Evaluation in a Patient-Specific Vascular Replica

Expedited revascularization through pharmacologic dissolution and/or mechanical thrombectomy is the principle goal of treatment of ischemic stroke [1]. Pharmacologic therapy consists of intravenous thrombolysis with tissue plasminogen activator and is limited by a narrow time window within which to administer the medication, resulting in less than 10% utilization in stroke patients. Mechanical thrombectomy provides another option for flow recanalization. Four thrombectomy devices are cleared by the FDA to restore blood flow in ischemic stroke patients, namely, the Merci retriever, the Penumbra aspiration system, the Solitaire FR revascularization device, and the Trevo device. While several completed and ongoing clinical trials have shown enhancement in the design of thrombectomy devices and increase in recanalization rate [2–4], the recanalization rate and, more importantly, the clinical outcome achieved with current thrombectomy devices still remain to be optimized.