What Is the Best Technique for Treating Carotid Disease?

This is a comprehensive review of carotid artery revascularization techniques: Carotid Endarterectomy (CEA), Transfemoral Carotid Artery Stenting (TFCAS), and Transcarotid Artery Revascularization (TCAR). CEA is the gold standard and is particularly effective in elderly and high-risk patients. TFCAS, introduced as a less invasive alternative, poses increased periprocedural stroke risks. TCAR, which combines minimally invasive benefits with CEA's neuroprotection principles, emerges as a safer option for high-risk patients, showing comparable results to CEA and better outcomes than TFCAS. The decision-making process for carotid revascularization is complex and influenced by the patient's medical comorbidities and anatomic factors.

Percutaneous transcatheter treatment for partial anomalous pulmonary right venous connection to the superior caval vein without atrial septal defect.

We developed technique similar to transcatheter treatment for superior sinus venosus defects to treat a patient with a Partial Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Connection of the right upper pulmonary veins (RUPV) without an atrial septal defect. A double transseptal puncture was performed, and the left atrium (LA) was connected with the RUPV using a covered stent. The blood flow from the superior vena cava was directed to the right atrium (RA) using a second covered stent.

The Impact of Knee Bending on the Superficial Femoral Artery and Popliteal Artery Morphology Before and After Endovascular Repair of Popliteal Aneurysm.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the deformations of the femoropopliteal (FP) arterial segment due to knee flexion in patients suffering from popliteal aneurysm before and after endovascular treatment (ET). DESIGN AND METHODS: Nine patients were prospectively evaluated. Pre-operative and post-operative computed tomography angiography (CTA) scans were performed on the leg of each patient in both a flexed and extended knee position. The images were employed to reconstruct the FP segment through segmentation and the resulting models were subsequently used to calculate the average diameter, length, and tortuosity of both the superficial femoral artery (SFA) and popliteal artery (PA). Furthermore, the overall PA tortuosity was decomposed into 2 components, ie, antero-posterior and lateral direction. RESULTS: Following knee flexion, both arterial segments experienced shortening in the pre-operative and post-operative phases. Specifically, the SFA was shortened by 3.5% in pre (p<0.001) and 1.21% in post-stenting (p<0.001), while the PA was shortened by 4.8% (p<0.001) and 5.63% (p<0.001), respectively. Tortuosity significantly increased in all considered segments; in particular, in SFA there was a pre-intervention increase of 85.2% (p=0.002) and an increase of 100% post-intervention (p=0.004), whereas in the PA, there was an increase of 128.9% (p<0.001) and 254.8% (p<0.001), respectively. The only diameter variation occurred in the SFA pre-operatively with an increase of 11.9% (p=0.007). Tortuosity decomposition revealed significant differences between the 2 planes during the pre-operative and post-operative phases in both extended and flexed configurations, confirming a change in artery position and geometry due to treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Knee flexion induces arterial shortening and increased tortuosity in both the pre- and post-operative configuration. Stent placement does not induce significant geometric differences between pre-treatment and post-treatment. These results seem to indicate that the geometry of the covered stent is not affected by the flexion of the knee joint. Despite this, a more detailed analysis of arterial tortuosity showed a change in artery deformation following treatment. CLINICAL IMPACT: This study aimed to evaluate femoropopliteal arterial deformations in nine patients with popliteal aneurysm before and after endovascular treatment (ET) during knee flexion, using a standardized protocol for CTA acquisition and analysis. The result can be useful in procedure planning and have shown that the Viabahn stent used can adapt to the morphological variations induced by limb flexion. Consequently, device failure does not be attributed to stent compression but rather to other factors, such as alterations in hemodynamic and biomechanical forces on the implant due to the significant changes in tortuosity observed, or biological causes.

Endovascular Treatment of May-Thurner Syndrome in an Office-Based Laboratory.

May-Thurner syndrome (MTS) is a rare condition that increases the risk of left-sided iliofemoral venous thrombosis due to compression of the left common iliac vein by the right common iliac artery. Treatment for symptomatic MTS typically includes combined anticoagulation and endovascular therapy. This patient presented to the emergency department with acute left lower extremity pain and swelling. After imaging confirmed MTS, the patient was discharged from the ED and expeditiously treated in an office-based lab (OBL) setting with venous thrombectomy, angioplasty, and stenting. The setting where endovascular therapy is performed may significantly impact access to care for patients. Additionally, cost-effectiveness is a factor that should be considered when deciding the treatment site of service. We demonstrate the safety and cost-viability of performing venous thrombectomy, angioplasty, and stenting in an outpatient setting for the treatment of acute iliofemoral venous thrombosis.

Current trends in antiplatelet strategies for emergent carotid stenting in acute tandem occlusions: a web-based, nationwide survey in the Italian neurovascular community.

BACKGROUND: Although a benefit from mechanical thrombectomy has been proven, the best treatment strategy for tandem occlusions (TOs) remains unclear. We conducted a survey that aimed to investigate the trends of pharmacological strategy in the setting of emergent carotid stenting for TOs in the Italian neuro-endovascular community. METHODS: We administered a 13-multiple choice-questions survey to the Chiefs of the centers participating to the Italian Registry of Endovascular Thrombectomy in Acute Stroke (IRETAS), focused on the technical aspects and on the management of the antiplatelet therapy for emergent carotid tenting in TOs. An internal coherence control was performed by the coordinating investigator. RESULTS: We obtained responses from 56/66 centers (84.8%). The main results of the survey showed that most of the center treat TOs using a retrograde approach, deploying a closed-cell stent. A single antiplatelet therapy is preferred at the moment of the deployment of the stent. CONCLUSIONS: This survey showed that the current practice regarding the acute management of TOs, in particular the antiplatelet therapy, remains heterogeneous in the Italian neurovascular community. Specific evidences are urgently needed in order to achieve a consensus on the acute management of TOs.

POSTOPERATIVE OUTCOMES IN ANEMIC PATIENTS UNDERGOING CAROTID REVASCULARIZATION.

BACKGROUND: Preoperative anemia is associated with worse postoperative morbidity and mortality following major vascular procedures. Limited research has examined the optimal method of carotid revascularization in anemic patients. Therefore, we aim to compare the postoperative outcomes following carotid endarterectomy (CEA), transfemoral carotid artery stenting (TFCAS), and transcarotid artery revascularization (TCAR) among anemic patients. STUDY DESIGN: This is a retrospective review of anemic patients undergoing CEA, TFCAS, and TCAR in the Vascular Quality Initiative database between 2016-2023. We defined anemia as a preoperative hemoglobin level of <13 g/dL in men and <12 g/dL in women. The primary outcomes were 30-day mortality and in-hospital major adverse cardiac events (MACE). Logistic regression models were used for multivariate analyses. RESULTS: Our study included 40,383 (59.3%) CEA, 9,159 (13.5%) TFCAS, and 18,555 (27.3%) TCAR cases in anemic patients. TCAR patients were older and had more medical comorbidities than CEA and TFCAS patients. TCAR was associated with decreased 30-day mortality (aOR=0.45,95%CI:0.37-0.59],P<0.001), in-hospital MACE (aOR=0.58,95%CI:0.46-0.75,P<0.001) compared to TFCAS. Additionally, TCAR was associated with 20% reduction in the risk of 30-day mortality (aOR=0.80,95%CI:0.65-0.98,P=0.03), and similar risk of in-hospital MACE (aOR=0.86,95%CI:0.77-1.01, P=0.07) compared to CEA. Furthermore, TFCAS was associated with an increased risk of 30-day mortality (aOR= 2,95%CI: 1.5-2.68,P<0.001), in-hospital MACE (aOR=1.7,95% CI:1.4-2,P<0.001) compared to CEA. CONCLUSIONS: In this multi-institutional national retrospective analysis of a prospectively collected database, TFCAS is associated with a high risk of 30-day mortality and in-hospital MACE compared to CEA and TCAR in anemic patients. TCAR was associated with lower risk of 30-day mortality compared to CEA. These findings suggest TCAR as the optimal minimally invasive procedure for carotid revascularization in anemic patients.

Endoscopic Palliative Treatment for Duodenal and Biliary Obstruction in Advanced Periampullary Malignancy.

Unresectable periampullary malignancies can lead to concomitant duodenal and biliary obstructions, significantly affecting patient quality of life. Effective palliation of these obstructions is crucial for symptom management and improving patient outcomes. Endoscopic techniques provide a minimally invasive approach to address these complications. This report presents a case where endoscopy was successfully used to palliate both duodenal and biliary obstructions in a patient with advanced periampullary malignancy. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography was attempted to relieve the biliary obstruction caused by periampullary malignancy; however, the procedure was subsequently abandoned and the patient ultimately underwent percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage. Furthermore, the use of an endoscope for duodenal stenting to restore gastrointestinal continuity was done. The patient experienced significant symptomatic relief and improved quality of life post-procedure. This case underscores the utility of endoscopic interventions in managing complex obstructions due to advanced malignancies.

Carotid artery stenting in unfavorable vascular anatomy: Effect of embolic protection filter use on periprocedural complications.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of embolic protection device (EPD) use on periprocedural complications in patients with carotid artery stenosis with anatomical variations. METHOD: The study retrospectively evaluated 185 patients who consecutively underwent carotid artery stenting between November 2020 and December 2023. Forty-four patients with difficult anatomical structures, anatomical variations in the common carotid artery (CCA) and internal carotid artery (ICA) (tortuosity, kinking, or coiling), and a CCA-ICA angle of >60 degrees were included in the sample. The patients were divided into two groups according to the use of EPD filters during the procedure and compared in terms of periprocedural events. RESULTS: Of the 44 patients included in the study, 24 (54.5 %) were male, and the mean age of all patients was 68.7 ± 8.7 years. Comorbidities were present in 93.2 % (n = 41) of the patients. The most common comorbidity was hypertension (n = 32, 72.8 %). The CCA-ICA angle was ≥60 degrees in 45.4 % (n = 20) of all patients. ICA tortuosity was detected in 27.2 % (n = 12) of the patients, ICA kinking in 13.6 % (n = 6), ICA coiling in 6.8 % (n = 3), and CCA tortuosity in 6.8 % (n = 3). Procedure-related periprocedural events developed in 38.6 % (n = 17) of the patients. Postprocedural mortality occurred in two patients, secondary to myocardial infarction in one and COVID-19 pneumonia in the other. There was no significant difference between the filter and non-filter groups in relation to periprocedural events (p = 0.638). Major stroke did not occur in either group. Minor neurological events occurred in 15 % (n = 3/20) of the patients in the filter group and 16.7 % (n = 4/24) of those in the non-filter group. The incidence of vasospasm was statistically higher in patients using filters compared to those without filters (30 % vs. 0 %; P = 0.005, respectively). CONCLUSION: Evaluation of vascular anatomy before carotid artery stenting is important to decide on the technical procedure to be applied in the procedure. The use of EPD in unfavorable anatomy does not reduce periprocedural neurological events. Instead, it results in technical difficulties, prolongs the duration of procedure, and leads to arterial vasospasm. Considering the high periprocedural events in this study, carotid endarterectomy may be a better alternative to endovascular treatment in patients with unfavorable carotid artery anatomy.

Venous stenting versus venous ablation.

BACKGROUND: The minimally invasive procedures of venous ablation and iliac vein stenting are evolving treatment options for venous insufficiency. Yet, there are no studies directly comparing the outcome of these procedures. We performed a survey on patients who had both procedures, to determine if either procedure helped more and if there is any other clinical factor related to the outcome. METHOD: We collected data between Jan 2012 and Feb 2019 from 726 patients who failed to improve swelling after conservative management. The patients underwent iliac vein stenting and vein ablations. We recorded patient assessment of the leg immediately after completion of both procedures. Follow-up was performed using in-person questionnaires by asking if improvement in lower extremity swelling occurred and if so, which procedure helped more. RESULTS: Of the 726 patients who underwent endovenous closure and iliac vein stent placement, 254 (35%) were males. The average age of the patients was 70 (±13.7 SD, range 29-103) years. The presenting symptom (C of CEAP classification) of lower extremity limb venous disease was 34.8%, 44.6%, 5.6%, and 15% for C3-C6, respectively. Patients were asked about swelling, and they stated: swelling is better (605, 83.3%), swelling is not better (118, 16.3%), and not sure if there is any improvement in swelling (3, 0.4%). Patients stated the following completion of both procedures: both procedures equally helped (129, 18%), iliac vein stent superior (167, 23%), endovenous ablation superior (177, 24%), neither helped (112, 16%), and not sure which procedure helped more (141, 19%). After ANOVA, we concluded that older patients (average = 72.5 years) were more often not sure which procedure helped more (p = .024), and younger patients (average = 68.4 years) stated that endovenous ablation helped more (p = .014). There were no significant differences between the groups regarding gender (p = .9), laterality (p = .33), or presenting symptoms scores (p = .9). There was no statistical relationship between the procedure that was performed first and the procedure that helped more (p = 0.095). CONCLUSION: In this qualitative assessment, preliminary data suggest that the comparative role of iliac vein stent versus endovenous ablation warrants further study. The data were broadly distributed, and neither procedure was superior. In addition, 16% of the patients stated that neither procedure helped. The age of patients may also play a role in their procedure preferences and their subjective assessment for improvement.

Efficacy of ultrasound in the evaluation of iliac vein stenting.

Objectives: The current study evaluated the efficacy of iliac and IVC ultrasound alone for follow-up evaluation of iliac vein stents in patients with pelvic venous disorders or iliac occlusion from chronic deep vein thrombosis. Methods: A retrospective single site cohort study was conducted by evaluating the most recent 100 iliac vein and inferior vena cava ultrasounds in patients who had undergone iliac vein stenting. Inclusion criteria included a history of iliac vein stent placement. Exclusion criteria included patients under 18-years-old, duplicates of the same patient, and pregnancy at the time of ultrasound. The degree of visualization for color flow, gray scale, and phasicity were determined and classified into the following categories: complete, partial, or none. In addition, each chart was assessed for external compression, in-stent narrowing, and requirements for further imaging. Results: Of the 100 iliac vein and IVC ultrasounds assessed in this review, 99 of the ultrasounds were sufficient for evaluation during follow-up visits without requiring further investigation. Within this study cohort, the average follow-up time was 22 months. The average participant body mass index was 27.6. One iliac vein and IVC ultrasound was considered inadequate for follow-up evaluation and required further imaging. Conclusion: The use of iliac and IVC venous doppler ultrasound alone in the follow-up evaluation of iliac stent patency is effective and noninvasive and avoids unnecessary radiation exposure and cost.

Using Machine Learning to Predict Outcomes Following Transfemoral Carotid Artery Stenting.

BACKGROUND: Transfemoral carotid artery stenting (TFCAS) carries important perioperative risks. Outcome prediction tools may help guide clinical decision-making but remain limited. We developed machine learning algorithms that predict 1-year stroke or death following TFCAS. METHODS AND RESULTS: The VQI (Vascular Quality Initiative) database was used to identify patients who underwent TFCAS for carotid artery stenosis between 2005 and 2024. We identified 112 features from the index hospitalization (82 preoperative [demographic/clinical], 13 intraoperative [procedural], and 17 postoperative [in-hospital course/complications]). The primary outcome was 1-year postprocedural stroke or death. The data were divided into training (70%) and test (30%) sets. Six machine learning models were trained using preoperative features with 10-fold cross-validation. The primary model evaluation metric was area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. The algorithm with the best performance was further trained using intra- and postoperative features. Model robustness was assessed using calibration plots and Brier scores. Overall, 35 214 patients underwent TFCAS during the study period and 3257 (9.2%) developed 1-year stroke or death. The best preoperative prediction model was extreme gradient boosting, achieving an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.94 (95% CI, 0.93-0.95). In comparison, logistic regression had an AUROC of 0.65 (95% CI, 0.63-0.67). The extreme gradient boosting model maintained excellent performance at the intra- and postoperative stages, with area under the receiver operating characteristic curve values of 0.94 (95% CI, 0.93-0.95) and 0.98 (95% CI, 0.97-0.99), respectively. Calibration plots showed good agreement between predicted/observed event probabilities with Brier scores of 0.11 (preoperative), 0.11 (intraoperative), and 0.09 (postoperative). CONCLUSIONS: Machine learning can accurately predict 1-year stroke or death following TFCAS, performing better than logistic regression.

[Treatment of tandem occlusions of the common and internal carotid arteries]. / Behandlung von Tandemstenosen der A. carotis communis und A. carotis interna.

BACKGROUND: Proximal carotid tandem lesions are defined as multilevel lesions with significant (> 50%) atherosclerotic disease involving the internal carotid artery (ICA) in combination with the proximal ipsilateral common carotid artery (CCA) or innominate artery (IA). It is a relatively rare disease with an incidence of less than 5% in all patients with carotid stenosis at the level of the bifurcation. METHODS: These patients are at high surgical risk and were, therefore, excluded from current randomized controlled trials. Although the effectiveness of carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and carotid stenting (CAS) in stroke prevention for patients is established, the optimal treatment approach for the subgroup of patients with a proximal tandem lesion is still controversial. Treatment of this condition is not well understood because it is difficult to determine the risk of each individual lesion becoming symptomatic. Therefore, concurrent treatment of severe (> 70% stenosis) proximal lesions is recommended when treating severe stenosis at the carotid bifurcation. CONCLUSION: This disease can lead to embolic ischemic strokes or hemodynamic compromise. It is not possible to determine diagnostically which lesion led to the clinical symptoms, which is why both lesions should be corrected.

Transcatheter management of superior vena cava obstruction following cardiac surgery: A case report from a resource-limited set-up.

Obstruction of the superior vena cava (SVC) is a rare complication after cardiac surgery in infants and children. We present the case of an 8-year-old boy who underwent bi-directional Glenn shunt followed by takedown of Glenn shunt and complete repair for cyanotic congenital heart disease. After 4 years of surgery, the child developed features of superior vena caval (SVC) syndrome. Echocardiography and CT angiography revealed complete obstruction of SVC without any forward flow. Transcatheter intervention was performed successfully to re-canalize and stent the SVC to maintain its patency. The patient was doing well at follow-up appointments, with good laminar flow through the stent. In conclusion, transcatheter management of post cardiac surgery SVC obstruction was successful in this patient.

Interval cholecystectomy following drainage procedures for acute cholecystitis: percutaneous transhepatic vs endoscopic transpapillary gallbladder drainage.

BACKGROUND: Gallbladder drainage procedures are often considered for acute cholecystitis (AC) patients with significant peri-operative risks. While percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder drainage (PTGBD) has been evaluated in previous studies, there is scarce data on the feasibility and efficacy of endoscopic transpapillary gallbladder stenting (ETGBS) in patients with AC. This study aimed to compare the characteristics of interval cholecystectomy following ETGBS and PTGBD. METHODS: This retrospective descriptive study included patients who underwent ETGBS and/or PTGBD for AC and subsequently underwent interval cholecystectomy between 2018 and 2023. Demographics, operative technique, and postoperative complications of patients with ETGBS and PTGBD were compared. RESULTS: A total of 59 patients were included (14 ETGBS and 45 PTGBD). The median days between ETGBS and cholecystectomy were significantly longer than the PTGBD group (64 [45-150] days vs. 16 [10-42] days, p=0.045). The median operation time was significantly longer in the ETGBS group.　Among 33 patients who underwent subtotal cholecystectomy, the ERGBS group more frequently required closure of the gallbladder stump due to the difficulty in ligating the cystic duct compared to the PTGBD group (75.0% vs. 28.0%, p=0.035). Similarly, the fundus-first approach was more commonly selected in the ERGBS group (62.5% vs. 28.0%, p=0.01). No significant differences in the incidence of postoperative complications were observed between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Interval cholecystectomy following ETGBS is more technically demanding compared to PTGBD. Laparoscopic subtotal cholecystectomy following ETGBS could be a potential treatment option for patients who are unfit for early surgery, with the recognition of the difficulty in ligating the cystic duct.

Progress and recognition of idiopathic intracranial hypertension: A narrative review.

BACKGROUND: Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) mainly affects obese young women, causing elevated intracranial pressure, headaches, and papilledema, risking vision loss and severe headaches. Despite weight loss as the primary treatment, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Recent research explores novel therapeutic targets. AIMS: This review aimed to provide a comprehensive understanding of IIH's pathophysiology and clinical features to inform pathogenesis and improve treatment strategies. METHODS: Recent publications on IIH were searched and summarized using PubMed, Web of Science, and MEDLINE. RESULTS: The review highlights potential pathomechanisms and therapeutic advances in IIH. CONCLUSION: IIH incidence is rising, with growing evidence linking it to metabolic and hormonal disturbances. Early diagnosis and treatment remain challenging.

The impact of stent protrusion into the inferior vena cava or jailing of the contralateral iliac vein on the incidence of contralateral deep vein thrombosis following venous stenting.

OBJECTIVE: Iliac vein stenting is the standard of care for patients with pelvic venous disorders secondary to symptomatic iliac vein outflow obstruction. Venous stents are often extended proximally into the inferior vena cava (IVC) which may result in partial or complete coverage of the contralateral iliac vein. The purpose of this investigation is to determine if extension of iliac vein stents into the IVC results in increased risk of contralateral deep venous thrombosis (DVT). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed prospectively collected data from 409 patients who underwent iliac vein stenting at the Center for Vascular Medicine (CVM) from 2019 to 2020. Stent type, covered territories, initial and follow-up consults, ultrasound and operative reports were reviewed to assess for incidence of post-implantation DVT. Patients were stratified into three groups: Iliac vein stents which protruded into the IVC, stents that completely covered the orifice of the contralateral iliac vein and those with no stent protrusion into the IVC. RESULTS: Out of 409 patients, the average age was 53.96 ± 13.40 years with 94 males and 315 females. All stents placed were Venovo stents and all iliac vein lesions were non-thrombotic stenoses. The average follow-up period was 14.35 ± 10.09 months. The most common territories stented were the IVC-LCIV-LEIV (n = , 74%) and the IVC-RCIV-REIV (n = , 26%). Stent protrusion and distance into the IVC in millimeters (mm) was the following: Partial protrusion (n = 314, 77%, 27.6 ± 19.1), jailing of the contralateral iliac vein (n = 78, 19%, 45.9 ± 18.6), no protrusion (n = 16, 4%). The overall DVT rate post-implantation was 0.49% (n = 2). No DVTs ipsilateral to the index stent were identified and both DVTs were contralateral DVTs. A hypercoaguable disorder was reported in 6 patients (1.5%). There were no significant differences in prevalence of contralateral DVT between the three groups. (p = .35). CONCLUSION: The rate of contralateral DVTs post iliac vein stenting with Nitonol based stents is extremely low. Partial or complete coverage of the contralateral iliac vein via stenting does not result in an increased incidence of contralateral DVT in the short-term. Longer follow up is needed to determine if contralateral DVTs occur after long-term implantation.

Adjunctive rescue therapy in acute large vessel occlusion secondary to underlying intracranial atherosclerotic disease.

BACKGROUND: The optimal treatment for patients with acute large vessel occlusion (LVO) secondary to intracranial atherosclerotic disease (ICAD) is unclear. Adjunctive rescue therapy with balloon angioplasty or stenting may be necessary to ensure vessel patency. We aimed to compare the safety and clinical outcomes of adjunctive rescue therapy vs lone thrombectomy for ICAD-related-LVO. METHODS: A retrospective propensity score matching analysis was performed in acute stroke patients who had endovascular thrombectomy between 2008-2021. We included patients with acute ICAD-related-LVO. The location of ICAD and exposure to thrombolysis were used to generate propensity score matching to estimate the likelihood of treatment by adjunctive rescue therapy. The primary clinical outcome (90-day modified rankin scale 0-2) and safety outcomes (symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage) were assessed between the two groups. RESULTS: One-hundred and forty-four patients were included. The median (IQR) age was 68(59-76) and 52(36%) were females. The baseline NIHSS was 12.5(8-19). Sixty-seven (47%) patients had ICAD in M1 or M2 segments. Forty-six patients (67%) had lone thrombectomy and twenty-one (28%) had adjunctive rescue therapy. Propensity score matching did not demonstrate significant differences in 90-day modified Rankin Score 0-2 between lone thrombectomy (38.8%) and adjunctive rescue therapy (39.3%) (p=0.3). Lone thrombectomy, compared to adjunctive rescue therapy, did not result in significantly more symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhages (2.8% vs 8.3%, p=0.6), nor progressive occlusion (17% vs 19%, p=0.8). CONCLUSION: We did not find significant differences in clinical outcomes and safety between lone thrombectomy and adjunctive rescue therapy. Randomized controlled studies are required to resolve the equipoise in treatment of ICAD-related-LVO.

Effectiveness and Safety of Vertebral Body Stenting for Acute Spinal Compression Fractures due to Primary Osteoporosis: A Multicenter Prospective Clinical Study.

Introduction: Segmental spinal deformity results from vertebral compression fracture (VCF) and progressive collapse of the fractured vertebral body (VB). The VB stenting (VBS) systemⓇ comprises a balloon-assisted, expandable, intrasomatic, metal stent that helps maintain the restored VB during balloon removal and cement injection, which minimizes cement leakage. We performed a prospective, multicenter, clinical trial of the VBS system in Japanese patients with acute VCF owing to primary osteoporosis. Methods: Herein, 88 patients, 25 men and 63 women aged 77.4±8.3 years, with low back pain, numerical rating scale (NRS) score of ≥4, and mean VB compression percentage (VBCP) of <60% were enrolled. The primary endpoints were the VBCP restoration rate and reduction in low back pain 1 month and 7 days after VBS surgery, respectively. Secondary endpoints included changes in VBCP, NRS pain score, Beck index, kyphosis angle, and quality of life according to the short form 36 (v2) score. Safety was assessed as adverse events, device malfunctions, and new vertebral fractures. Results: Overall, 70 patients completed the study. VBS surgery increased the restoration rates of anterior and midline VBCP by 31.7%±26.5% (lower 95% confidence intervals (CI): 26.8) and 31.8%±24.6% (lower 95% CI: 27.2), respectively, and the reduction in NRS pain score was -4.5±2.4 (upper 95% CI: -4.0). As these changes were greater than the predetermined primary endpoint values (20% for VBCP and -2 for NRS score), they were judged clinically significant; these changes were maintained throughout the 12-month follow-up (p<0.001). Likewise, significant improvement was observed in the Beck index, kyphosis angle, and quality of life score, which were maintained throughout the follow-up. There were three serious adverse events. New fractures occurred in 12 patients-all in the adjacent VB. Conclusions: VBS surgery effectively restored the collapsed VB, relieved low back pain, and was tolerable in patients with acute osteoporotic VB fracture.

Multiple Severe Intracranial Stenoses with Ischemic Stroke in Neuroborreliosis-associated Cerebral Vasculitis: Endovascular Treatment Strategies and Literature Review.

INTRODUCTION: Neuroborreliosis is the disseminated form of Lyme borreliosis and refers to the involvement of the central nervous system by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato spirochetes. Several reports suggest its emergence as a potential cause of cerebral vasculitis and stroke in children and young adults. The objective of this paper is to highlight endovascular treatment options within this context. METHODS: The medicinal and endovascular treatments of three patients-two adults and one child-with ischemic stroke resulting from neuroborreliosis-associated severe cerebral vasculitis were retrospectively assessed. Detailed descriptions of the clinical course, treatments, and follow-up data for each patient are provided. Additionally, a literature review focusing on endovascular treatment options within this topic was conducted. RESULTS: Both endovascular and medicinal treatments resulted in excellent clinical outcomes in all three patients, with no observed periprocedural complications. Significant clinical improvement was noted during mid-term follow-up. Follow-up angiographies confirmed stent patency. CONCLUSION: Endovascular interventions as a bailout strategy may enhance clinical outcomes in patients with vascular complications of neuroborreliosis, especially when medicinal therapy alone fails to achieve further improvement. In the setting of severe ischemic stroke with sub-occlusive large vessel stenosis or occlusion, the cause of which is often unknown, it should be considered to prioritize prompt endovascular treatment, even if neuroborreliosis is suspected on admission.