Abstract
Recent positive clinical trials using mechanical thrombectomy proved that endovascular recanalization is an effective treatment for patients with acute stroke secondary to large vessel occlusions. The trials offer definite evidence that in acute ischemia recanalization is a powerful predictor of good outcome. However, even in the era of rapid and effective recanalization using endovascular approaches, the percentage of patients with good outcomes varies between 33 and 71 %. In addition, the number of patients who are eligible for endovascular thrombectomy is small and usually based on having salvageable tissue on imaging. There is therefore room for improvement to both enhance the effectiveness of current practice and expand treatment to a larger subset of stroke patients. In this review, we highlight some of the most promising approaches to improve endovascular therapy by combining with strategies to enhance collateral perfusion and vascular protection.