New and future endovascular treatment strategies for acute ischemic stroke.

Cerebral revascularization strategies for acute ischemic stroke have been developed during the past decade. Many of these strategies are currently being evaluated and gaining in popularity, offering hope to those with an otherwise nihilistic disease. Herein, the authors discuss the current progress toward these goals and the efforts being made to develop a safe and efficacious method of clot removal in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke. Three endovascular treatment strategies are presented: endovascular thrombectomy with suction or snaring devices, mechanical clot disruption with mechanical or photoacoustic devices, and augmented fibrinolysis with mechanical or ultrasonic devices. Most of these devices are currently undergoing phase I or II trial or are approved for other uses.