Endovascular therapyResearchers at The Ottawa Hospital are continuing to play a key role in advancing endovascular therapy for stroke, as major contributors to two new international clinical trials.

Endovascular therapy is a minimally invasive technique for plucking stroke-causing blood clots out of the brain. The Escape trial, published in 2015, showed that this technique could dramatically improve outcomes in stroke patients with clots in large-sized blood vessels. 

The Escape-MeVo follow-up trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, extended the research to medium-sized blood vessels. Results showed that for these patients, endovascular therapy was not helpful, so doctors should focus on giving clot-busting drugs as quickly as possible. 

The Escape-NEXT trial, published in The Lancet, evaluated a neuroprotective drug combined with endovascular therapy. In patients who presented within 12 hours of stroke symptoms, there was no benefit, but there was a benefit for patients who presented within three hours. 

“Trials such as these are critical for patients with stroke. They give current and future patients access to treatments that are otherwise not available,” said Dr. Dar Dowlatshahi, lead Ottawa investigator for these Calgary-sponsored trials. “We’re very grateful to all the patients and families who participate in our research, as well as all the amazing TOH clinical and support staff and trainees who supported and embedded this research into our clinical care workflows.” 

Ottawa team: Robert Fahed, Michel Shamy, Dylan Blacquiere, Celina Ducroux, Grant Stotts, Michele Demetroff, Brian Dewar, Rebeccah Beardshaw, Dar Dowlatshahi.

The Ottawa Hospital is a leading academic health, research and learning hospital proudly affiliated with the University of Ottawa and supported by The Ottawa Hospital Foundation.