The use of balloon guide catheters (BGCs) during mechanical thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke is associated with superior clinical and angiographic outcomes, concludes a systematic review and meta-analysis recently published by JNIS and discussed in this podcast.

Waleed Brinjikji (Departments of Radiology and Neurosurgery of the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA) tells the Editor-in-Chief of the journal Felipe Albuquerque the details of his paper ‘Impact of balloon guide catheter on technical and clinical outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis’.