SEdation Versus General Anesthesia for Endovascular Therapy in Acute Ischemic Stroke (SEGA)
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ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03263117 |
Recruitment Status :
Recruiting
First Posted : August 28, 2017
Last Update Posted : October 22, 2021
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Objectives:
This study aims to estimate overall treatment benefit (improvement in disability) among acute ischemic stroke patients that are randomized to General Anesthesia (GA) compared with Sedation (CS) during endovascular therapy. Assess safety (as measured by incidence of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage); rates of Endovascular therapy (EVT) procedural complications, reperfusion; and quality of life.
Hypothesis:
GA during EVT for acute ischemic stroke improves functional outcomes at 90 days compared to sedation.
Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment | Phase |
---|---|---|
Stroke | Drug: Sedation Drug: General Anesthesia (GA) Procedure: Intra-arterial Thrombectomy | Phase 4 |
Study Type : | Interventional (Clinical Trial) |
Estimated Enrollment : | 260 participants |
Allocation: | Randomized |
Intervention Model: | Parallel Assignment |
Masking: | Single (Outcomes Assessor) |
Primary Purpose: | Treatment |
Official Title: | SEGA - SEdation Versus General Anesthesia for Endovascular Therapy in Acute Ischemic Stroke - a Randomized Comparative Effectiveness Trial. |
Actual Study Start Date : | July 1, 2018 |
Estimated Primary Completion Date : | November 2022 |
Estimated Study Completion Date : | February 28, 2023 |

Arm | Intervention/treatment |
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Active Comparator: Sedation
The protocol does not specify a particular combination of drugs that must be used for sedation. The choice of specific drugs and dosages for achieving sedation will be up to the anesthesiologist.
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Drug: Sedation
The protocol does not specify a particular combination of drugs that must be used for sedation. The most common drugs utilized for sedation and wide dosing ranges are included in the protocol (i.e., sedation will be provided under the supervision of an anesthesiologist and may use a combination of fentanyl, midazolam, dexmedetomidine infusion (with or without loading dose), and/or low-dose propofol by intermittent bolus or infusion); however, the choice of specific drugs and dosages for achieving conscious sedation or general anesthesia will not be specified by the protocol but will be up to the anesthesiologist. Procedure: Intra-arterial Thrombectomy The first line therapeutic embolectomy device should be a stent retriever. Additional Endovascular therapies including, but not limited to, intra- or extracranial angioplasty ± stenting; antithrombotics (oral, IV or IA antiplatelets or anticoagulants) intra-arterial thrombolytics; are left to the decision of the local treatment team.
Other Name: Endovascular Therapy |
Active Comparator: General Anesthesia
The protocol does not specify a particular combination of drugs that must be used for general anesthesia. The choice of specific drugs and dosages for achieving general anesthesia will be up to the anesthesiologist.
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Drug: General Anesthesia (GA)
The protocol doesn't specify drugs that must be used for GA, the choice of drugs and dosages for achieving general anesthesia will not be specified by the protocol but will be up to the anesthesiologist. The most common drugs utilized for GA and wide dosing ranges included in the protocol are (GA will be provided under the supervision of an anesthesiologist and induction of anesthesia may be achieved with propofol and/or etomidate; muscle paralysis may be achieved with succinylcholine or non-depolarizing paralytic (rocuronium or vecuronium); and adjuvant lidocaine and fentanyl; if intravenous maintenance of anesthesia is used, it may be achieved by propofol infusion at 50 to 150 mcg/kg/min with redosing of non-depolarizing paralytic and fentanyl as needed; if inhalational maintenance of anesthesia is used it will be achieved with sevoflurane 1% to 2% or desflurane 3% to 6% end-tidal concentration with redosing of non-depolarizing paralytic and fentanyl as needed) Procedure: Intra-arterial Thrombectomy The first line therapeutic embolectomy device should be a stent retriever. Additional Endovascular therapies including, but not limited to, intra- or extracranial angioplasty ± stenting; antithrombotics (oral, IV or IA antiplatelets or anticoagulants) intra-arterial thrombolytics; are left to the decision of the local treatment team.
Other Name: Endovascular Therapy |
- modified Rankin Scale (mRS) [ Time Frame: 90 days ]Comparison of independent clinical outcome as measured by the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at 90 days (scores 5 and 6 combined) among patients randomized to GA versus Sedation assessed by study personnel blinded to treatment.
- Dichotomized modified Rankin Scale (mRS) [ Time Frame: 90 days ]Dichotomized modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at 90 days (0-2 vs 3-6) adjusted for stratification variable
- Rates of recanalization [ Time Frame: post procedure within 6 hours ]Rates of recanalization using modified TICI scores
- National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scale [ Time Frame: 24-36 hours post procedure ]Early clinical improvement measured by difference NIHSS scale
- modified Rankin Scale (mRS) [ Time Frame: 90 days ]Independent functional outcome in General Anesthesia patients treated with inhalational vs. intravenous medications.
- Quality of life as assessed by the European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D) instrument [ Time Frame: 90 days ]
- Incidence of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage [ Time Frame: 18-36 hours post procedure ]Safety measured by incidence of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage
- Incidence of mortality [ Time Frame: 18-36 hours post procedure ]Safety measured by incidence of mortality
- Incidence of device related complications [ Time Frame: 18-36 hours post procedure ]Safety measured by incidence of device related complications

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Ages Eligible for Study: | 18 Years to 90 Years (Adult, Older Adult) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
Inclusion Criteria:
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Acute ischemic stroke due to large intracranial vessel occlusion demonstrated on CT-angiography in the following anterior circulation locations that will be treated by endovascular therapy (EVT):
- Internal Carotid Artery (terminal "T" or "L-type"- occlusion)
- Middle Cerebral Artery (MCA) M1 or proximal M2
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Anterior Cerebral Artery (ACA) A1 or proximal A2
- Patients who receive IV-tPA thrombolysis are eligible provided the drug was delivered within 4.5 hours of stroke onset or last seen normal and in accordance with local hospital standard of care.
- Ages 18-90.
- National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score 6-30
- Time of from stroke symptom onset of last seen normal to start of EVT (defined as groin puncture) ≤ 16 hours.
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Limited infarct core, as defined below and adapted from the 2018 American Heart Association guidelines
- For patients presenting ≤ 6 hours from time of symptom onset or last seen normal, Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomography Score (ASPECTS) ≥ 6
- For patients presenting > 6 hours and ≤ 16 hours from time of symptom onset or last seen normal, they must satisfy EITHER ONE of the two following criteria:
i. Ischemic core by CT Perfusion or MRI/MR Perfusion < 70 mL, a ratio of volume of penumbral tissue to infarct core of ≥ 1.8, and and absolute volume of penumbral tissue of ≥ 15 mL OR ii. For patients with NIHSS ≥ 10, infarct core of < 31 mL by CT Perfusion or MRI; For patients with NIHSS ≥ 20, infarct core < 51 mL.
- Subject willing/able to return for protocol required follow up visits.
- No significant pre-stroke disability (modified Rankin Score must be ≤ 2).
- Females of childbearing potential must have a negative serum or urine pregnancy test.
- Patient or patient's legally authorized representative has given Informed Consent according to Good Clinical Practices (GCP) and/or local IRB policies.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Coma on admission (Glasgow Coma Scale <8), need for intubation upon ED arrival, or transferred patients who present previously intubated.
- Severe agitation or seizures on admission that preclude safe vascular access.
- Loss of airway protective reflexes and/or vomiting on admission.
- Predicted or known difficult airway.
- Pre-existing neurological or psychiatric disease that would confound the neurological or functional evaluations, e.g. dementia.
- Presumed septic embolus, or suspicion of bacterial endocarditis
- Currently participating or has participated in any investigational drug or device study within 30 days.
- Inability to follow-up for 90-day assessment.
- Known history of allergy to anesthesia drugs.
- Known history or family history of malignant hyperthermia

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT03263117
Contact: Peng Roc Chen, MD | 713-486-8016 | peng.r.chen@uth.tmc.edu | |
Contact: Eddie Aguilar, BA | 713-486-7764 | eddie.aguilar@uth.tmc.edu |
United States, Indiana | |
Indiana University College of Medicine | Recruiting |
Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, 46202 | |
Contact: Bradley Bohnstedt, MD bbohnste@iu.edu | |
Contact: Lauren Snyder lmillar@iu.edu | |
United States, Iowa | |
University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics | Recruiting |
Iowa City, Iowa, United States, 52242 | |
Contact: Santiago Ortega-Gutierrez, MD, MSc santy-ortega@uiowa.edu | |
Contact: Heena Olalde, MSN heena-olalde@uiowa.edu | |
Principal Investigator: Santiago Ortega-Gutierrez, MD, MSc | |
United States, Kentucky | |
Henry Ford Health System | Recruiting |
Louisville, Kentucky, United States, 48150 | |
Contact: Alex Abou-Chebl, MD AAbouC1@hfhs.org | |
Contact: Khalid Uddin kuddin1@hfhs.org | |
United States, New York | |
Rochester Regional Health | Recruiting |
Rochester, New York, United States, 14617 | |
Contact: Jay Morrow, MD, PhD jay.morrow@rochesterregional.edu | |
Contact: Kara Cristales, RN kara.cristales2@rochesterregional.edu | |
Principal Investigator: Jay Morrow, MD, PhD | |
United States, North Carolina | |
Wake Forest Baptist Health | Recruiting |
Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States, 27157 | |
Contact: Stacey Q Wolfe, MD sqwolfe@wakehealth.edu | |
Contact: Wendy Jenkins, BSN wejenkin@wakehealth.edu | |
Principal Investigator: Stacey Wolfe, MD | |
United States, Oklahoma | |
Oklahoma University Health Science Center | Withdrawn |
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States, 73104 | |
United States, Pennsylvania | |
Geisinger Health | Recruiting |
Danville, Pennsylvania, United States, 17822 | |
Contact: Clemens M Schirmer, MD, PhD cmschirmer@geisinger.edu | |
Contact: Chelsie Derr cmderr1@geisinger.edu | |
Principal Investigator: Clemens Schirmer, MD, PhD | |
Temple University | Not yet recruiting |
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 19122 | |
Contact: Kadir Erkmen, MD Kadir.Erkmen@tuhs.temple.edu | |
Contact: Kathleen Hatala, RN, BSN 215-707-4171 Kathleen.Hatala@tuhs.temple.edu | |
United States, Texas | |
Memorial Hermann Hospital System - Memorial City Medical Center | Recruiting |
Houston, Texas, United States, 77024 | |
Contact: Sunil Sheth, MD 713-500-7897 sunil.a.sheth@uth.tmc.edu | |
Contact: Eddie Aguilar, BA eddie.aguilar@uth.tmc.edu | |
Baylor College of Medicine | Recruiting |
Houston, Texas, United States, 77030 | |
Contact: Daniel M Raper, MD Daniel.Raper@bcm.edu | |
Contact: Wajeeha Abrar, MHA, MBBS Wajeeha.Abrar@bcm.edu | |
Principal Investigator: Daniel M Raper, MD | |
University of Texas Health Science Center Houston with Memorial Hermann Hospital System - The Medical Center | Recruiting |
Houston, Texas, United States, 77030 | |
Contact: Sunil Sheth, MD 713-500-7897 sunil.a.sheth@uth.tmc.edu | |
Contact: Eddie Aguilar, BA 713-486-7764 eddie.aguilar@uth.tmc.edu | |
Principal Investigator: Sunil A Sheth, MD | |
Memorial Hermann Hospital System - The Woodlands Medical Center | Recruiting |
The Woodlands, Texas, United States, 77380 | |
Contact: Yazan Alderazi, MD Yazan.J.Alderazi@uth.tmc.edu | |
Contact: Eddie Aguilar, BA 713-486-7764 eddie.aguilar@uth.tmc.edu | |
Principal Investigator: Yazan Alderazi, MD |
Study Chair: | Peng Roc Chen, MD | The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston | |
Principal Investigator: | Andrew Barreto, MD | The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston | |
Principal Investigator: | Carlos Artime, MD | The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston | |
Principal Investigator: | Sunil Sheth, MD | The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston | |
Principal Investigator: | Sean Savitz, MD | The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston | |
Principal Investigator: | Claudia Pedroza, PhD | The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston |
Responsible Party: | Peng Roc Chen, Professor in Neurosurgery, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT03263117 |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
HSC-MS-17-0436 |
First Posted: | August 28, 2017 Key Record Dates |
Last Update Posted: | October 22, 2021 |
Last Verified: | October 2021 |
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product: | Yes |
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product: | No |
Product Manufactured in and Exported from the U.S.: | No |
Acute stroke Cerebral Stroke |
Stroke Ischemic Stroke Cerebrovascular Disorders Brain Diseases Central Nervous System Diseases Nervous System Diseases |
Vascular Diseases Cardiovascular Diseases Anesthetics Central Nervous System Depressants Physiological Effects of Drugs |