GA vs. CS for Endovascular Stroke Therapy

Abstract

After a stroke caused by a blockage (clot) in a blood vessel in the brain, patients may have the clot removed by threading a catheter from the groin up to the affected area of the brain. An anesthesiologist is involved in the patient's care during this procedure to maximize patient safety and procedural efficiency. The options for anesthesia for this procedure are general anesthesia (where the patient is unconscious) or sedation (where the patient is in a relaxed, calm, sleepy condition). Currently, it is unclear which of these anesthetic options contributes to the best patient outcome. The investigators would like to investigate whether or not one method of anesthesia (general or sedation) is better to use than the other when removing the clot.

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