Is sonothrombolysis an effective stroke treatment?

Abstract

New therapeutic strategies under development aim to improve recanalization rates and clinical outcomes after ischemic stroke. One such approach is ultrasound (US)- enhanced thrombolysis, or sonothrombolysis, which can improve thrombolytic drug actions and even intrinsic fibrinolysis. Although the mechanisms are not fully understood, it is postulated that thrombolysis enhancement is related to nonthermal mechanical effects of US. Recent results indicate that US with or without microbubbles may be effective in clot lysis of ischemic stroke even without additional thrombolytic drugs. Sonothrombolysis is a promising tool for treating acute ischemic stroke, but its efficacy, safety, and technical details have not been elucidated and proved yet in stroke treatment. © 2013 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.