Objective: The present study aimed to determine the preferential technique of anesthesia, and compare the peri-procedure or treatment complications in acute ischemic stroke patients who received endovascular recanalization therapy.

Materials and Methods: A retrospective descriptive cross-sectional study, data were collected from a list of patients who received endovascular recanalization therapy from January 2014 to December 2015. Data from all patients were retrieved from a database of the department of anesthesiology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital. Baseline data were collected including age, sex, comorbidities, current medication, Glasgow Coma Scale [GCS] and stroke severity. Intra-procedural data and post-procedural complications were collected.

Results: Ninety-one patients were enrolled to the present study, 86% received general anesthesia [GA]. All baseline patients' characteristics were similar in both groups, except patients in local anesthesia [LA] group receiving anti-coagulants much more than GA group (p = 0.004). The overall
procedure time and time record in stroke fast tract protocol were similar in both groups. In GA group found peri-procedural hypotension significantly greater than LA group (p<0.001). Hypertension and re-stroke were found in LA group, significantly greater than GA group (p = 0.034, p = 0.048).

Conclusion: GA was more preferable technique than LA in patients undergoing endovascular recanalization therapy. LA provided less hypotension than GA during procedure. The patients receiving LA suffered from hypertension and re-stroke more than GA in post-procedural period. Both GA and LA did not show greater improvement in neurological status at 24 hours after treatment.

Keywords: Complication, Acute ischemic stroke, Endovascular, recanalization, treatment, Retrospective