A Review of the Advancements in the in-vitro Modelling of Acute Ischemic Stroke and Its Treatment

Abstract

In-vitro neurovascular models of large vessel occlusions (LVOs) causing acute ischemic stroke (AIS) are used extensively for pre-clinical testing of new treatment devices. They enable physicians and engineers to examine device performance and the response of the occlusion to further advance design solutions for current unmet clinical needs. These models also enable physicians to train on basic skills, to try out new devices and new procedural approaches, and for the stroke team to practice workflows together in the comfort of a controlled environment in a non-clinical setting. Removal of the occlusive clot in its entirety is the primary goal of the endovascular treatment of LVOs via mechanical thrombectomy (MT) and the medical treatment via thrombolysis. In MT, recanalization after just one pass is associated with better clinical outcomes than procedures that take multiple passes to achieve the same level of recanalization, commonly known as first pass effect (FPE). To achieve this, physicians and engineers are continually investigating new devices and treatment approaches. To distinguish between treatment devices in the pre-clinical setting, test models must also be optimized and expanded become more nuanced and to represent challenging patient cohorts that could be improved through new technology or better techniques. The aim of this paper is to provide a perspective review of the recent advancements in the in-vitro modeling of stroke and to outline how these models need to advance further in future. This review provides an overview of the various in-vitro models used for the modeling of AIS and compares the advantages and limitations of each. In-vitro models remain an extremely useful tool in the evaluation and design of treatment devices, and great strides have been made to improve replication of physiological conditions. However, further advancement is still required to represent the expanding indications for thrombectomy and thrombolysis, and the generation of new thrombectomy devices, to ensure that smaller treatment effects are captured.

Keywords: acute ischemic stroke; in-vitro modeling; mechanical thrombectomy; stroke treatment; thrombus.