Editorial on the Impact of the “International Training Guidelines for Endovascular Stroke Intervention” on Training and Education in Germany

Excerpt

Stroke and its successful endovascular treatment has changed the world. It is a fact that ischemic stroke is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Until 2014, intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) was the only proven treatment for acute ischemic stroke. The turning point was 2015 with the publication of five well-known randomized, multicenter prospective trials that provided Class 1, Level A evidence in the support of endovascular thrombectomy. These results have led to guideline recommendations advocating endovascular treatment in addition to t-PA for patients with emergent large vessel occlusion (ELVO) and as first-line therapy for patients who are not eligible for intravenous thrombolysis. …