Mechanical thrombectomy for acute ischaemic stroke during the COVID-19 pandemic: changes to UK practice and lessons learned.

ABSTRACT:

Aim

To describe evolving practices in the provision of mechanical thrombectomy (MT) services across the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic, the responses of and impact on MT teams, and the effects on training.

Materials and methods

The UK Neurointerventional Group (UKNG) and the British Society of Neuroradiologists (BSNR) sent out a national survey on 1 May 2020 to all 28 UK neuroscience centres that have the potential capability to perform MT.

Results

Responses were received from 27/28 MT-capable centres (96%). Three of the 27 centres do not currently provide MT services. There was a 27.7% reduction in MTs performed during April 2020 compared with the first 3 months of the year. All MT patients in 20/24 centres that responded were considered as COVID-19 suspicious/posit

SUBMITTER: McConachie D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7351427 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature