Delving Into the Significance of Brain’s Collateral Circulation in the Era of Revascularization Therapy

Purpose of review

This narrative review summarized the major studies focusing on the association between revascularization therapies (intravenous thrombolysis and endovascular thrombectomy) and collateral circulation status in terms of outcome and safety. Our aim is to elucidate, drawing upon the latest scientific evidence, the pivotal role that collateral circulation plays in shaping the prognosis and potential therapeutic in patients with ischemic stroke.

Recent findings

The data currently available suggest that pre-treatment assessment of collateral circulation may be crucial, as a good collateral circulation status appears to be associated with better outcomes in terms of both early revascularization and long-term disability. There is limited literature about the assessment of collateral circulation prior to acute reperfusion therapy.

Summary

The role of the intracranial collateral circulation is gaining increasing attention in the field of ischemic stroke, both in terms of outcome prognosis and therapeutic interventions. These findings need to be confirmed by more structured randomized controlled trials (RCTs), but they suggest that investigating therapeutic strategies to maintain and support collateral circulation may represent the future of ischemic stroke therapy.