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Mobile Stroke Units—the Changing Face of Emergency Medicine Stroke Management

  • Neurologic Emergencies (J Miller, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Emergency and Hospital Medicine Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

To provide a summary of mobile stroke unit (MSU) utilization within Emergency Medicine stroke systems.

Recent Findings

MSUs have been deployed around the world into prehospital stroke systems demonstrating the ability to differentiate stroke subtypes and to initiate thrombolysis in eligible patients with shorter symptom onset to treatment times than conventional systems. MSU technology may enable the administration of other standard interventions or future experimental agents in the hyperacute time window. It is conceivable that MSU technology may be extended to other disease states in resource-limited areas without immediate access to an emergency department.

Summary

MSUs can identify key stroke subtypes and offer promising reductions in treatment times for the time-sensitive condition of acute ischemic stroke. Further research is necessary to guide optimal utilization within stroke systems.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Emergency Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, 464 Congress Ave., Suite 260, New Haven, CT, 06519, USA

    Charles R. Wira III & Ani Aydin

  2. Department of Neurology, Division of Vascular Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, 800 Howard Ave., Suite 260, New Haven, CT, 06519, USA

    Charles R. Wira III

Authors
  1. Charles R. Wira III
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  2. Ani Aydin
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Correspondence to Charles R. Wira III.

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Wira, C.R., Aydin, A. Mobile Stroke Units—the Changing Face of Emergency Medicine Stroke Management. Curr Emerg Hosp Med Rep 8, 9–15 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40138-020-00207-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40138-020-00207-4

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