In this episode, we are discussing one of the most rapidly evolving areas in acute stroke care, mechanical thrombectomy for medium vessel occlusions, or MEVO. While thrombectomy is well established for large vessel occlusions, whether patients with smaller, more distal occlusions benefit has remained an important unanswered question. In the recent years, several landmark trials have evaluated endovascular treatment for MEVO with differing results, some suggesting benefits while others suggesting no benefit. Together, these studies have shifted the conversation from whether thrombectomy should be performed to which patients are most likely to benefit. To discuss how these findings are reshaping clinical practice and the future of thrombectomy stroke trials, we spoke with Dr. Mayank Goyal, professor of radiology and clinical neurosciences at the University of Calgary. He was interviewed by Dr. Omar Al-Janabi, a stroke neurologist at Baptist Health.

Disclosures: Dr. Goyal discloses consulting fees from Medtronic, Penumbra, Jacob's Institute, Silvercreek Pharma, Microvention, and grant funding from Medtronic and Cerenovus

In this episode, we'll discuss pediatric epilepsy surgery. Pediatric epilepsy surgery has undergone a remarkable evolution, moving from a treatment of last resort to a critical option for children with drug-resistant epilepsies. Yet major barriers remain, including delayed referrals, fear of brain surgery, and uncertainty around risks and benefits. At the same time, advances in imaging, genetics, and neuromodulation are shaping the utility of epilepsy surgery. For an update in pediatric epilepsy surgery, we spoke with Dr. Ahsan Moosa Naduvil Valappil, a pediatric epileptologist and an associate professor of neurology at the Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Moosa is internationally recognized for his work in pediatric epilepsy surgery and complex hemispheric epilepsy syndromes. Dr. Moosa and his colleagues at Cleveland Clinic have helped advance our understanding of how surgical interventions can improve outcomes for children with epilepsy. Dr. Moosa was interviewed by Dr. Howard Goodkin, the Shure Professor of Neurology and Pediatrics at the University of Virginia.

Disclosures: None

 In this episode, we will focus on the latest in the research on ALS. ALS remains a devastating disease, but the field is now at an inflection point with a growing pipeline of precision therapies, trial-ready sites, and a new generation of clinician scientists - yet barriers persist. There is disease heterogeneity, limited trial access for patients, and rising development costs. For an update on ALS clinical trials and the Healey ALS MyMatch program, a centralized platform that matches participants to trials, we spoke with Dr. Suma Babu. Dr. Suma Babu is an associate professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School and co-director of the Neurological Clinical Research Institute at Mass General Brigham. She was interviewed by Dr. Ryan Jacobson, an associate professor of neurology at Rush University.

Disclosure: This episode does not award CME.