Inclusion Criteria:  age of ≥ 18 years; indication for MT according to valid guidelines; modified Rankin score (mRS) of ≤ 2 before stroke onset; baseline Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (ASPECTS) of ≥ 6; MCA occlusion in M1 or M2 segment with or without intracranial ICA occlusion; estimated onset-to-skin cut time of ≤6 h or core/penumbra mismatch in cases with wake-up stroke or stroke with unknown onset; MT failure with TICI score of 0-1 declared by an interventional neuroradiologist and expectation to achieve recanalization within 24 h from stroke onset.  Exclusion Criteria:  indication for MT according to valid guidelines; thrombocyte count of ≤ 100,000/µL; contraindication for general anesthesia