Effectiveness of endovascular thrombectomy for mild stroke patients; systematic review

Abstract

Endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) is a safe and useful treatment for acute ischemic stroke patients with extensive ischemic regions, according to recent studies. This article aimed to perform a systematic review of randomized studies that contrasted medical therapy alone with EVT in the management of patients with ischemic stroke. The preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis standards were followed to conduct this systematic review. Embase, PubMed, and the Cochrane Library were looked for articles that were published between 2020 and 2024. Ten full-text articles were included. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies that contrasted EVT with the most effective medicinal treatment were included. Three sets of research were created including the first group which comprised of patients who had suffered an ischemic stroke in the posterior cerebral artery (PCA); the second group assessed patients who had suffered from a large ischemic stroke; and the third group contained studies for patients who had suffered from a mild ischemic stroke. It was found that mechanical thrombectomy is a safe and effective treatment for PCA blockage and also improved the functional result for patients with major cerebral infarctions when compared to medical care alone. On the other hand, it was also discovered that endovascular therapy did not work effectively for patients with acute major artery blockage and small National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores. For instance, the patients fared better with endovascular therapy administered early after a large cerebral infarction than with medical management alone; however, there were still more intracranial hemorrhages and vascular issues.