Endovascular Treatment of Stroke and Anesthesia Technique: What Is the Best Approach, According to the Literature?

Abstract

Background/objectives: Endovascular thrombectomy has become a mainstay in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke caused by large vessel occlusion. Among the multiple factors that influence outcomes, the choice of anesthetic technique-general anesthesia (GA), conscious sedation (CS), or local anesthesia (LA)-remains controversial. This narrative review aims to critically examine and synthesize current evidence comparing the efficacy and safety of different anesthetic strategies in endovascular stroke treatment.

Methods: A structured search of the PubMed^® database was conducted using the terms "stroke treatment", "endovascular stroke treatment", "anesthesia", "general anesthesia", "conscious sedation", and "local anesthesia". The search focused on clinical trials involving human subjects published in English. Studies were included if they compared at least two anesthetic techniques during thrombectomy and reported outcomes such as neurological recovery, mortality, or complication rates. Reviews, case reports, and animal studies were excluded.

Results: Several randomized controlled trials and observational studies show comparable functional outcomes between GA and CS, though CS may confer advantages in early neurological recovery and reduced complications. Local anesthesia, though less studied, may offer favorable outcomes in selected patients. General anesthesia appears to be associated with greater hemodynamic variability and a higher risk of post-procedural infections, particularly in unsuccessful interventions. Maintaining stable blood pressure and minimizing ventilation duration are crucial to improving patient prognosis.

Conclusions: While both GA and CS are viable options during thrombectomy, CS and LA may provide a safer profile in selected patients by preserving hemodynamic stability and reducing infectious risk. Personalized anesthetic strategies and further high-quality trials are warranted.