Published date: 28 February 2018
TENSION is a new international study funded by the EU, and hoping to extend the benefits of mechanical thrombectomy to more stroke patients.
Thrombectomy is a treatment for certain types of acute ischaemic stroke that can use mechanical devices to drastically reduce the effects of an ongoing stroke. Very small devices are used to break and remove the clot from the blood vessel in the brain. This procedure is carried out by highly skilled doctors called neuro-radiologists and requires special hospital facilities.
TENSION will examine the effects of thrombectomy in a large group of patients in whom the benefit of thrombectomy is uncertain. It will study if it is safe and effective to do thrombectomy in patients with so-called ‘extended lesions’, that is, larger areas of damaged brain when compared to previously published studies.
Eligible patients will also be able to enrol in the trial up to 12 hours after their symptoms first showed. This will extend the treatment to a larger group of patients: including, for instance, more of those who have a stroke during the night-time and are more likely to be delayed in getting to hospital.
The trial will be taking place at hospitals in Austria, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Norway, Slovakia, and Sweden.
To find out more visit the Stroke Alliance for Europe (SAFE) website.