Current role of mechanical thrombectomy in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke

Ischemic stroke is a severe condition with a high mortality and a serious risk of permanent functional dis-ability. The treatment of acute ischemic stroke has undergone a number of major changes in recent years - from systemic thrombolysis to the wide range of current mechanical thrombectomy modalities. Studies such as MR CLEAN, ESCAPE, EXTEND-IA, SWIFT PRIME and others have demonstrated improved outcomes in patients with large vessel occlusion when mechanical thrombectomy was used compared with best medical treatment including systemic thrombolysis. These results have completely changed the treatment paradigm. Currently, a wide variety of endovascular tools are available for mechanical thrombectomy and new ones are still under development. This paper aims to summarize the current options for the treatment of ischemic stroke by mechanical thrombectomy and to outline other therapy aspects of this disease.