HTA Details
Mechanical Thrombectomy for Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke
- Publication date
-
2016-February-08
- Status
- Final
- Topic Area
- Neurological
- Recommendation
-
Ontario Health Technology Advisory Committee Recommendation:
- The Ontario Health Technology Advisory Committee recommends publicly funding stent retrievers and thromboaspiration devices for mechanical thrombectomy in patients with acute ischemic stroke, in selected stroke centres identified by the Ontario Stroke Network.
- Ministry Response
-
The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care has accepted this recommendation.
-
To read the full OHTAC Recommendation Report for this topic, contact our Health Innovation team using the contact form to request a digital copy.
Acute ischemic stroke occurs when a blood vessel in the brain becomes blocked. Symptoms of a stroke include muscle weakness such as paralysis on one side of the body, dizziness and slurred speech. In some cases stroke can cause death. Stroke is the third leading cause of death in Canada.
When a patient has an ischemic stroke, health care professionals must work quickly to try to open up the blocked blood vessels to improve blood flow to the brain. This can be done using a treatment called intravenous thrombolysis or a newer treatment called mechanical thrombectomy.
Mechanical thrombectomy involves the insertion of a catheter to guide a clot-disrupting device, known as a stent retriever or thromboaspiration device, to a blockage in a cerebral artery located in the brain. The device retrieves the blockage and removes it from the artery. This report focused on newer mechanical thrombectomy devices (retrievable stents and second generation thrombus aspiration devices).
Last Updated: February 24, 2026
