Mechanical interventions to treat acute stroke.

The approach to stroke therapy has historically been limited due to the existence of relatively few treatment options and the necessity for action within 3 hours of symptom onset. As neuroimaging technology advances, fertile new ground is revealed for novel therapies. Recently, a number of exciting mechanical systems have been developed with potential efficacy even hours after cerebrovascular occlusion: endovascular clot disruption, endovascular clot extraction, and angioplasty with stenting are currently under study, with promising initial results. With more options, each with greater effectiveness in a particular clinical scenario, the physician is now better equipped than ever to treat acute ischemic stroke successfully.