Effects of Surface Cooling On Stroke Outcome triaL (COOL)

The investigators goal is to improve the outcome of patients with acute stroke by inducing mild cerebral hypothermia through surface cooling at the cervical and shoulder regions using EMCOOLS Brain.Pads®. For this project, the investigators can build further on their research group's experience with hypothermia in animal models and invasive cooling in stroke patients. The COOL program will prospectively evaluate safety, feasibility, patient acceptance and efficacy of mild cerebral hypothermia using EMCOOLS Brain.Pads® in a large cohort of patients presenting with acute stroke at the Emergency Department of the Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel. The application of EMCOOLS Brain.Pads® will be compared to routine clinical practice in a randomized controlled trial. If proven to be safe, feasible, well-tolerated and efficacious in the inhospital setting, future use in prehospital acute stroke care will be incorporated with telemedicine support, as part of the Prehospital Stroke Study at the Universitair ziekenhuis Brussel (PreSSUB).