2017 Volume 39 Issue 6 Pages 470-475
It has been reported that cryptogenic ischemic strokes comprise about 25% of all ischemic strokes and considered that most cryptogenic strokes are thromboembolic. The causes of cryptogenic ischemic strokes are minor risk potential thromboembolic sources such as minor risk potential cardioembolic sources, convert paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, cancer-associated, arteriogenic emboli and paradoxical embolism. Advances in imaging techniques and improved understanding of stroke pathophysiology elucidate the causes of cryptogenic strokes, which however depend on the extent of diagnostic evaluation, making the definition of cryptogenic ischemic stroke to be vague and leading advances of its clinical research to be impeded. Embolic strokes of undetermined source (ESUS) recently are proposed, which are defined as a non-lacunar infarction without proximal arterial stenosis or cardioembolic sources. The definition of ESUS is distinct and a therapeutically relevant entity, comparing to cryptogenic strokes. Here we are going to deliberate the meaning and advantage of the rather simple definition of ESUS.
