On Wednesday, we had the privilege of hosting Dr. Satish Kumar Bajaj from the Niels Stensen Kliniken Osnabrück, who gave a presentation on “Neurointervention in stroke care.” The event drew over 25 attendees, who actively participated in the discussion following the lecture.
Dr. Satish started his lecture by tracing the evolution of stroke management, highlighting the groundbreaking impact of mechanical thrombectomy on stroke treatment. However, he emphasized to all participants that the interventional aspect is just one component of stroke care. It should be considered within a broader framework that includes clinical assessment of the patient as well as CT/MRI imaging. Only by taking into account these factors can the appropriate treatment, be it intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) or endovascular treatment (EVT), be determined.
Dr. Satish went on to explain the crucial role of CT and MRI imaging in this process and elaborated on various imaging techniques, their advantages, and the supplementary tools that aid in accurately assessing the condition and deciding on the most suitable treatment.
Referring to the ESO Guideline, Dr. Satish emphasized the primary objective of acute management in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) as timely recanalization through IVT or EVT within the critical “Golden hours”. He provided an in-depth exploration of both, IVT and EVT, highlighting Alteplase as the standard drug for IVT, which is selectively administered to patients meeting specific criteria, and discussing the TECNO Trial, which demonstrated the positive impact of IVT after mechanical thrombectomy. EVT, as the second treatment option for stroke, offers diverse techniques for removing the blockage responsible for the stroke. Dr. Satish elaborated on the Aspiration Technique (ADAPT), stent retriever thrombectomy, and combined techniques, providing insights into their advantages and disadvantages. He also discussed the circumstances under which EVT can and should be considered as the primary treatment approach. To conclude his lecture, Dr. Satish shared several case studies that reinforced the key points he had highlighted earlier.
Thank you, Dr. Satish and all participants for a great lecture!