See a stroke thrombectomy.

Several studies from 2015 demonstrated the efficacy of thrombectomy for treating stroke due to an occlusion of the large arteries, including occlusions of the Internal Carotid and proximal Middle Cerebral arteries.

Thrombectomy is typically done within the 0 – 6 hour time window from last known well as long as there is no early, severe hypodensity on the non-enhanced head CT. The degree of early hypodensity, and thus extent of early infarct, is measured with the Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score, or ASPECTS.

Thrombectomy can be done in select cases in the 6-24 hour window based on CT or MRI perfusion imaging.

Take a look at the images below for an example of a successful stroke thrombectomy.

Angiogram demonstrating an occlusion at the carotid terminus – the point where the internal carotid artery divides into the anterior and middle cerebral arteries.
Carotid angiogram post-thrombectomy and resolution of the occlusion from the prior image, now showing blood flow in the anterior and middle cerebral arteries.