Contact Aspiration Versus Stent Retriever for Recanalisation of Acute Stroke Patients With Basilar Artery Occlusion: The Posterior Circulation ASTER Randomized Trial Protocol

"The contact aspiration approach is performed, as in standard care, using a long sheath positioned in the distal cervical vasculature using an exchange technique.~A large bore balloon guide catheter as to be placed into the cervical ICA. The microcatheter is then advanced close to the thrombus and the large-bore aspiration catheter is advanced as close to the proximal aspect of the thrombus as possible. A control superselective angiogram may be used to document the extent of occlusion and thrombus. After a 3 min waiting period, the large-bore aspiration catheter is connected to a continuous aspiration from the dedicated aspiration pump while simultaneously advancing the aspiration catheter up to the face of the thrombus. through the long sheath positioned in the cervical vasculature."

The technique used should be in accordance with the device IFU. A large bore access guide catheter possible is recommended. A suitable delivery microcatheter is navigated over a microwire across the occlusion. A control superselective angiogram may be used to document the extent of occlusion and thrombus. The stent is left in place according to the internal practice of each participating center before the withdrawal. Any CE-marked stent retriever device is then deployed across the occlusion. A minimum of 3 attempts with SR should be performed. A revascularization score will be recorded after each device attempt.