A collaborative system for endovascular treatment of acute ischaemic stroke: the Madrid Stroke Network experience

Background and purpose The complexity and expense of endovascular treatment (EVT) for acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) can present difficulties in bringing this approach closer to the patients. A collaborative node was implemented involving three stroke centres (SCs) within the Madrid Stroke Network to provide round‐the‐clock access to EVT for AIS. Methods A weekly schedule was established to ensure that at least one SC was ‘on‐call’ to provide EVT for all those with moderate to severe AIS due to large vessel occlusion, >4.5 h from symptom onset, or within this time‐window but with contraindication to, or failure of, systemic thrombolysis. The time‐window for treatment was 8 h for anterior circulation stroke and