New Research Raises Hope for Stroke Patients Treated Days After Attack

The trial, known as LATE-MT, examined mechanical thrombectomy (a procedure where surgeons thread a catheter through blood vessels to physically remove a blood clot blocking the brain) in patients who had suffered a large-vessel ischaemic stroke (a stroke caused by a clot cutting off blood supply to a major artery in the brain). The findings, published in the *New England Journal of Medicine*, suggest the treatment window may be considerably longer than current standard practice assumes.

Until now, mechanical thrombectomy has generally been offered within 24 hours of stroke onset. The LATE-MT trial specifically enrolled patients in the 24-to-72-hour period — a group who would typically have been considered too late to benefit from the procedure.

An accompanying editorial in the same journal, titled *Expanding the Evidence and Indications for Thrombectomy in Ischaemic Stroke*, addresses what the findings could mean for clinical guidelines Stroke is a time-critical emergency. The NHS advises anyone who suspects a stroke to use the FAST test — Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, Time to call 999. But this research points to a more complex picture, where some patients may still gain from intervention well after that acute phase.

The research is published in a peer-reviewed journal and will need to be assessed by clinical bodies before any changes to NHS treatment protocols are made.

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If you or someone you know shows signs of a stroke, call 999 immediately. For non-emergency health questions, contact NHS 111 online or by phone.