Stroke is deemed a worldwide leading cause of neurological disability and death, however, there is currently no promising pharmacotherapy for acute ischemic stroke aside from intravenous or intra-arterial thrombolysis. Yet because of the narrow therapeutic time window involved, thrombolytic application is very restricted in clinical settings. Accumulating data suggest that non-pharmaceutical therapies for stroke might provide new opportunities for stroke treatment. Here we review recent research progress in the mechanisms and clinical implications of non-pharmaceutical therapies, mainly including neuroprotective approaches such as hypothermia, ischemic/hypoxic conditioning, acupuncture, medical gases, transcranial laser therapy, etc. In addition, we briefly summarize mechanical endovascular recanalization devices and recovery devices for the treatment of the chronic phase of stroke and discuss the relative merits of these devices.

Although RIP did not show a beneficial effect in our ICH model, treatment with RIP did not exacerbate ICH.

Cold saline, when infused directly into the ischemic brain region, can confer robust neuroprotection by reducing immediate post-ischemic hyperperfusion and delayed post-ischemic hypoperfusion.

Local brain hypothermia induced by autocirculating cold arterial blood infused into ischemic tissue has neuroprotective effects.

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