Die back from pathogen can be rapid and often totally kills a tree. Hopefully it’s spotted before travelling to the main trunk and can be removed or the treee compartmentalises the affected branch. Sometimes I don’t catch the disease early enough to remove the affected limb and if in the main trunk, will cut the tree down to a stump above the graft. Here’s some pictures showing a tree just starting to bud back, another a little further along and lastly, one that had this treatment a few year’s back. They have all been saved and will recover.
Good morning @Jaybee63, a very good thread that gives everybody hope if their tree has this problem. @ROEBUK had a similar problem I believe and he cut his down to a stump and it did come back. Good strong root system makes a difference. As you say though vigilance is the key.
Yes, a "good strong root system makes a difference", so "vigilance is a key ». Conversely, insufficient and underdeveloped roots make maples vulnerable to airborne disease, mainly bacteriosis. In that case, soil or subtract are the key.
This Yezo nishiki is an example of what you are referring to I think. It was a 10 ft tall tree 2 years ago and in spring one year just died off. We cut the dead away and were left with a stump that budded. Couldn’t really see definitively where the graft was, but I think that I have growth that looks like what the growth was before. Never was really red even in spring. Anyway we are trying to guide some of the branches up to make a leader of sorts.