Combining mTICI 2C and TICI 3 grades helps to determine a subgroup of patients achieving better functional outcomes than mTICI 2B patients. Achieving mTICI 2C/3 reperfusion should be the new aim of mechanical thrombectomy for anterior circulation LVO.

Background and Purpose: The efficiency of prehospital care chain response and the adequacy of hospital resources are challenged amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, with suspected consequences for patients with ischemic stroke eligible for mechanical thrombectomy (MT). Methods: We conducted a prospective national-level data collection of patients treated with MT, ranging 45 days across epidemic containment measures instatement, and of patients treated during the same calendar period in 2019. The primary end point was the variation of patients receiving MT during the epidemic period. Secondary end points included care delays between onset, imaging, and groin puncture. To analyze the primary end point, we used a Poisson regression model. We then analyzed the correlation between the number of MTs and the number of COVID-19 cases hospitalizations, using the Pearson correlation coefficient (compared with the null value). Results: A total of 1513 patients were included at 32 centers, in all French administrative regions. There was a 21% significant decrease (0.79; [95%CI, 0.76–0.82]; P <0.001) in MT case volumes during the epidemic period, and a significant increase in delays between imaging and groin puncture, overall (mean 144.9±SD 86.8 minutes versus 126.2±70.9; P <0.001 in 2019) and in transferred patients (mean 182.6±SD 82.0 minutes versus 153.25±67; P <0.001). After the instatement of strict epidemic mitigation measures, there was a significant negative correlation between the number of hospitalizations for COVID and the number of MT cases ( R 2 −0.51; P =0.04). Patients treated during the COVID outbreak were less likely to receive intravenous thrombolysis and to have unwitnessed strokes (both P <0.05). Conclusions: Our study showed a significant decrease in patients treated with MTs during the first stages of the COVID epidemic in France and alarming indicators of lengthened care delays. These findings prompt immediate consideration of local and regional stroke networks preparedness in the varying contexts of COVID-19 pandemic evolution.

Patients with modified TICI 3 reperfusion have better functional outcomes than those with modified TICI 2b. Given the improving reperfusion rates obtained with thrombectomy devices, future thrombectomy trials should consider modified TICI 2b and modified TICI 3 status separately.

Minor-to-mild stroke patients with LVO achieved excellent and favorable functional outcomes at 3 months in similar proportions between urgent MT versus delayed MT associated with BMT. There is thus an urgent need for randomized trials to define the effectiveness of MT in this patient subgroup.

Background and Purpose Patients with acute ischemic stroke, proximal vessel occlusion and a large ischemic core at presentation are commonly not considered for mechanical thrombectomy (MT). We tested the hypothesis that in patients with baseline large infarct cores, identification of remaining penumbral tissue using perfusion imaging would translate to better outcomes after MT.<br/>Methods This was a multicenter, retrospective, core lab adjudicated, cohort study of adult patients with proximal vessel occlusion, a large ischemic core volume (diffusion weighted imaging volume ≥70 mL), with pre-treatment magnetic resonance imaging perfusion, treated with MT (2015 to 2018) or medical care alone (controls; before 2015). Primary outcome measure was 3-month favorable outcome (defined as a modified Rankin Scale of 0–3). Core perfusion mismatch ratio (CPMR) was defined as the volume of critically hypo-perfused tissue (Tmax >6 seconds) divided by the core volume. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to determine factors that were independently associated with clinical outcomes. Outputs are displayed as adjusted odds ratio (aOR) and 95% confidence interval (CI).<br/>Results A total of 172 patients were included (MT n=130; Control n=42; mean age 69.0±15.4 years; 36% females). Mean core-volume and CPMR were 102.3±36.7 and 1.8±0.7 mL, respectively. As hypothesized, receiving MT was associated with increased probability of favorable outcome and functional independence, as CPMR increased, a difference becoming statistically significant above a mismatch-ratio of 1.72. Similarly, receiving MT was also associated with favorable outcome in the subgroup of 74 patients with CPMR >1.7 (aOR, 8.12; 95% CI, 1.24 to 53.11; P=0.028). Overall (prior to stratification by CPMR) 73 (42.4%) patients had a favorable outcome at 3 months, with no difference amongst groups.<br/>Conclusions In patients currently deemed ineligible for MT due to large infarct ischemic cores at baseline, CPMR identifies a subgroup strongly benefiting from MT. Prospective studies are warranted.