Research Focus

Neurology

Area of Research

Urs Fischer is a clinical researcher and his main research interest involves diagnosis, management, treatment and outcome of patients with acute neurological diseases, especially of patients with acute ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. He is principal investigator of several international multicenter academic trials on the management of patients with ischaemic and haemorrhagic stroke.

Approved Research Projects

• The SWIFT DIRECT trial (www.swift-direct.ch) assessed whether adding intravenous thrombolysis to mechanical thrombectomy improves the patient outcome compared to direct mechanical thrombectomy alone.
• The ELAN trial (www.elan-trial.ch) assesses when oral anticoagulation with direct oral anticoagulants in stroke patients with atrial fibrillation can be introduced.
• The SILENT 2 trial assess the incidence of silent atrial fibrillation in patients with silent brain infarction. Rhythm monitoring will be done by an implantable cardiac monitor capable of remote transmission of all recorded episodes.
• The SWITCH trial (www.switch-trial.ch) investigates whether decompressive craniectomy in addition to best medical treatment is superior to best medical treatment alone for patients with intracerebral haemorrhage.
• The DISTAL trial aims to assess, whether mechanical thrombectomy in addition to best medical treatment in patients with distal, medium vessel occlusion (dMEVO, defined as an occlusion of the co- or non-dominant M2, M3 or M4, A2 or A3, P1, P2 or P3) is superior to best medical treatment alone.
• The TECNO trial aims to determine the safety and efficacy of intraarterial Tenecteplase in patients experiencing an acute ischemic stroke due to a large vessel occlusion with incomplete reperfusion with residual occlusions after mechanical thrombectomy.

Collaborations

National Collaborations

• All stroke centers and stroke units in Switzerland 

International Collaborations

• SWITCH trial: several stroke centers and stroke units in Switzerland, France, Finland, Germany, Austria, Spain, the Netherlands and Belgium
• SWIFT DIRECT: several stroke centers and stroke units in Switzerland, France, Finland, Germany, Austria, Spain, Canada and UK
• TECNO trial: several stroke centers and stroke units in Switzerland, France, Finland, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands and Belgium
• ELAN trial: several stroke centers and stroke units in Switzerland, Finland, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Greece, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Norway, Portugal and Slovakia

Ongoing Research Projects

• SWIFT DIRECT trial
• ELAN trial
• SILENT 2 trial 
• SWITCH trial 
• DISTAL trial 
• TECNO trial