Small-vessel disease in the brain.

Cerebral small-vessels are generally located in the brain at branch points from major cerebral blood vessels and perfuse subcortical structures such as the white matter tracts, basal ganglia, thalamus, and pons. Cerebral small-vessel disease (CSVD) can lead to several different clinical manifestations including ischemic lacunar stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, and vascular dementia. Risk factors for CSVD overlap with conventional vascular risk factors including hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and hypercholesterolemia, as well as genetic causes. As in cardiovascular disease, treatment of CSVD involves both primary and secondary prevention. Aspirin has not been established as a primary prevention strategy for CSVD among the general population; however, long-term antiplatelet therapy with aspirin alone continues to be the mainstay of secondary stroke prevention for non-cardioembolic ischemic stroke and high-risk TIA.

Subacute Posterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery Stroke Radiographically Mimicking Lhermitte-Duclos Disease.

Lhermitte-Duclos disease (LDD) is a rare cerebellar lesion characterized by a hamartomatous lesion of the cerebellum. Mainly diagnosed by MRI, the clinical presentation is usually made of neurological symptoms. Modern neuroimaging techniques such as MRI have led to accurate diagnosis of this disease in both its pre- and post-operative periods. We present the case of a 68-year-old male with a past medical history of cardiac stenting and coronary artery disease who originally presented to the emergency department as a transfer for evaluation of possible obstructing hydrocephalus and left posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) infarct. Based on the clinical presentation and imaging, the favored diagnosis of his left cerebellar abnormality was LDD rather than an unusual acute/subacute infarct or a metastatic lesion. The rapid progression of symptoms with rapidly progressive cytotoxic edema on serial CTs helped exclude LDD, which is nearly always more of a chronic process. The classic neuroimaging findings and clinical presentation of LDD are also discussed.

Adapting Clinical Practice of Thrombolysis for Acute Ischemic Stroke Beyond 4.5 Hours: A Review of the Literature.

Several clinical trials have demonstrated that advanced neuroimaging can select patients for recanalization therapy in an extended time window. The favorable functional outcomes and safety profile of these studies have led to the incorporation of neuroimaging in endovascular treatment guidelines, and most recently, also extended to decision making on thrombolysis. Two randomized clinical trials have demonstrated that patients who are not amenable to endovascular thrombectomy within 4.5 hours from symptoms discovery or beyond 4.5 hours from the last-known-well time may also be safely treated with intravenous thrombolysis and have a clinical benefit above the risk of safety concerns. With the growing aging population, increased stroke incidence in the young, and the impact of evolving medical practice, healthcare and stroke systems of care need to adapt continuously to provide evidence-based care efficiently. Therefore, understanding and incorporating appropriate screening strategies is critical for the prompt recognition of potentially eligible patients for extended-window intravenous thrombolysis. Here we review the clinical trial evidence for thrombolysis for acute ischemic stroke in the extended time window and provide a review of new enrolling clinical trials that include thrombolysis intervention beyond the 4.5 hour window.

Factors that Influence Door-to-Needle Administration for Acute Stroke Patients in the Emergency Department.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: There is growing importance on discovering factors that delay time to intervention for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients, as rapid intervention is essential for better patient outcomes. The management of these patients involves a multidisciplinary effort and quality improvement initiatives to safely increase treatment with intravenous (IV) thrombolytic. The objective of this pilot study is to evaluate factors of acute stroke care in the emergency department (ED) and their impact on IV alteplase administration. METHODS: A sample of 89 AIS patients who received IV alteplase from a single academic medical institution was selected for retrospective analysis. System characteristics (presence of a stroke nurse and time of day) and patient characteristics (mode of arrival and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score on arrival) were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression to address the study question. RESULTS: The mean door-to-needle time is 53.74 (38.06) minutes, with 74.2% of patients arriving to the ED via emergency medical services and 25.8% having a stroke nurse present during IV alteplase administration. Mode of arrival (P = .001) and having a stroke nurse present (P = .022) are significant predictors of door-to-needle time in the ED. CONCLUSION: Although many factors can influence door-to-needle times in the ED, we did not find National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score on arrival and time of day to be significant factors. Patients arriving to the ED by personal vehicle will have a significant delay in IV alteplase administration, therefore emphasizing the importance of using emergency medical services. Perhaps more importantly, collaborative efforts including the addition of a specialized stroke nurse significantly decreased time to IV alteplase administration for AIS patients. With this dedicated role, accelerated triage and more effective management of AIS patients is accomplished, leading to decreased intervention times and improving patient outcomes.

Musical hallucinations with a right frontotemporal stroke.

MUSICAL HALLUCINATIONS: have been reported in association with psychiatric diseases, brain stem strokes, deafness, degenerative diseases, intoxications, pharmacologic agents, and epilepsy. We present a patient who in the absence of these disorders developed musical hallucinations from an infarction of the right hemisphere that primarily injured his right frontal and anterior temporal lobes. This report discusses some of the possible mechanisms for this patient's presentation. Although the mechanism of his musical hallucinations remains unclear, recognition of this uncommon syndrome is important when structuring rehabilitation and management for patients with stroke who have this disorder.

Updates in the Management of Cryptogenic Stroke and Patent Foramen Ovale.

BACKGROUND: Stroke is a common neurological disorder and may present with visual symptoms. A thorough workup is warranted to determine the underlying cause of stroke to optimize secondary prevention. Despite a full workup, a high-risk mechanism may not be identified. Optimal treatment in this patient population has been the subject of recent research, particularly with regard to low-risk stroke mechanisms such as patent foramen ovale (PFO). EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: Using PubMed and published stroke guidelines, an evidence-based literature review was performed. RESULTS: In this review, we compare cryptogenic stroke with the newer concept of embolic stroke of undetermined source, summarize the most common causes presumed to underlie these strokes, and review the evidence for optimal antithrombotic management. We also review recent clinical trials demonstrating a benefit for percutaneous closure of PFO for secondary stroke prevention in select patients. CONCLUSIONS: Stroke management is based on evaluation of individual patient-risk factors. Evaluation and treatment is ideally directed by a vascular neurologist to ensure optimal secondary prevention, especially in cases where an underlying etiology is not identified on initial workup.