Improvement in cranial nerve palsies following treatment of intracranial aneurysms with flow diverters: Institutional outcomes, systematic review and study-level meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Cranial nerve (CN) palsies are rare presenting symptoms of intracranial aneurysms. Our objectives were to report our institutional outcomes and study-level meta-analysis summarizing rates of improvement and identifying factors associated with recovery from CN symptoms after flow diversion. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of our institutional database for patients with intracranial aneurysms presenting with CN palsies who underwent treatment with flow diversion between 2015 and 2023. Systematic review of the literature was performed using Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane, as well as manual citation searches. Random effects meta-analysis was used. RESULTS: Thirteen of 136 studies were included in the meta-analysis and were combined with our institutional data. The pooled rate of improvement in any CN palsies following flow diversion was 71 % (95 %CI, 60 %-82 %, n=322). Patients presenting with CN II deficits were less likely to improve following treatment compared to other CN deficits (pooled OR [pOR] 0.32, 95 %CI, 0.16-0.63, n=224). The pooled rate of clinical improvement was 53 % in CNII deficits (95 %CI, 42 %-65 %, n=80) and 80 % in other CN deficits (95 %CI, 71 %-88 %, n=106). An increased rate of improvement was associated with acute intervention (pOR 9.12, 95 % CI, 2.26-36.73, n = 71) and radiographic aneurysm occlusion (pOR 5.29, 95 %CI, 1.66-16.90, n=118). CONCLUSIONS: Flow diversion improves CN palsy outcomes in patients with symptomatic intracranial aneurysms. The lower rate of improvement in visual acuity compared to other CN deficits may point to a different mechanism of injury or potential recoverability in these patients.

The effect of intravenous thrombolysis in stroke patients with unsuccessful thrombectomy.

BACKGROUND: The benefit of intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) is well established. We aim to study the benefits of IVT in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients with large vessel occlusion (LVO) who underwent unsuccessful mechanical thrombectomy (MT). METHODS: We included AIS patients who underwent MT for anterior circulation LVO with failed recanalization (modified treatment in cerebral ischemia [mTICI] score ≤ 2A). Patients who received IVT prior to MT were compared to those who received MT alone. Propensity score matching using demographic, clinical, radiographic and procedural variables was used to match patients with and without IVT. The primary outcome was favorable 90-day good functional outcome (defined as modified Rankin scale of 0-2), and secondary outcomes included intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), symptomatic ICH (sICH), and 90-day mortality. RESULTS: Totally, 610 AIS patients with unsuccessful MT were included. After propensity matching, 219 patients were identified in each group. Median age was 70 years and 73 years in the IVT + MT and MT alone groups, respectively. In the IVT + MT group, final mTICI scores of 0, 1, and 2A were achieved in 92 (42.0%), 33 (15.1%), and 94 (42.9%) patients, respectively, versus 76 (34.7%), 29 (13.2%), and 114 (52.1%) in the MT alone group. The IVT + MT group had greater odds of 90-day good functional outcome (adjusted odds ratio 2.54, 95% confidence interval 1.53-4.32). There were no significant differences in secondary outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: IVT is associated with improved functional outcomes in AIS patients with LVO despite unsuccessful MT.

Improved technical outcomes with converting thrombectomy techniques after failed first pass recanalization.

BACKGROUND: A higher number of recanalization attempts reduces the efficacy of endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) for acute ischemic stroke secondary to large vessel occlusion (LVO). We assessed the impact of switching EVT techniques after a failed first pass on procedural and clinical outcomes. METHODS: This multicenter international study, conducted between January 2013 and December 2022, included patients undergoing EVT for anterior circulation LVO (internal carotid artery or M1 segments) with failed first pass recanalization. Propensity score matching identified a 1:1 matched cohort of patients in whom EVT technique was changed after a failed first pass and those with the same technique repeated. The primary outcome was successful recanalization at second attempt defined as Thrombolysis in Cerebral Ischemia (TICI) score of 2B or higher. Secondary outcomes were 90-day modified Rankin Score (mRS) and postprocedural hemorrhage. RESULTS: Among 2167 patients, converting to an alternative technique after a failed first pass was associated with higher odds of successful recanalization (adjusted OR (aOR)=1.5, p=0.041), and higher odds of mRS 0-2 at 90 days (aOR=1.6, p=0.005) without additional risk of symptomatic hemorrhage (p=0.379). Using a propensity score matched cohort of 490 patients, technique conversion at second attempt increased odds of successful recanalization at second attempt (aOR=1.32, p=0.006) and 90-day mRS 0-2 (aOR=1.38, p=0.008). CONCLUSIONS: Early conversion to an alternative EVT technique after a failed first pass recanalization in patients with AIS is associated with better technical success and clinical outcomes.

The impact of hypertension on clinical outcomes in moyamoya disease: a multicenter, propensity score-matched analysis.

BACKGROUND: Moyamoya disease (MMD) is a rare cerebrovascular disorder characterized by progressive steno-occlusive changes in the internal carotid arteries, leading to an abnormal vascular network. Hypertension is prevalent among MMD patients, raising concerns about its impact on disease outcomes. This study aims to compare the clinical characteristics and outcomes of MMD patients with and without hypertension. METHODS: We conducted a multicenter, retrospective study involving 598 MMD patients who underwent surgical revascularization across 13 academic institutions in North America. Patients were categorized into hypertensive (n=292) and non-hypertensive (n=306) cohorts. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to adjust for baseline differences. RESULTS: The mean age was higher in the hypertension group (46 years vs. 36.8 years, p < 0.001). Hypertensive patients had higher rates of diabetes mellitus (45.2% vs. 10.7%, p < 0.001) and smoking (48.8% vs. 27.1%, p < 0.001). Symptomatic stroke rates were higher in the hypertension group (16% vs. 7.1%; OR: 2.48; 95% CI: 1.39-4.40, p = 0.002) before matching. After PSM, there were no significant differences in symptomatic stroke rates (11.1% vs. 7.7%; OR: 1.5; CI: 0.64-3.47, p = 0.34), perioperative strokes (6.2% vs. 2.1%; OR 3.13; 95% CI: 0.83-11.82, p = 0.09), or good functional outcomes at discharge (93% vs. 92.3%; OR 1.1; 95% CI: 0.45-2.69, p = 0.82). CONCLUSION: No significant differences in symptomatic stroke rates, perioperative strokes, or functional outcomes were observed between hypertensive and non-hypertensive Moyamoya patients. Appropriate management can lead to similar outcomes in both groups. Further prospective studies are required to validate these findings.

Outcomes of Mechanical Thrombectomy for Patients With Stroke Presenting With Low Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomography Score in Early and Late Time Windows.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to compare outcomes of low Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomography Score (ASPECTS) patients with stroke who underwent mechanical thrombectomy (MT) within 6 hours or 6 to 24 hours after stroke onset. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using data from a large multicenter international registry from 2013 to 2023. Patients with low ASPECTS (2-5) who underwent MT for anterior circulation intracranial large vessel occlusion were included. A propensity matching analysis was conducted for patients presented in the early (<6 hours) vs late (6-24 hours) time window after symptom onset or last known normal. RESULTS: Among the 10 229 patients who underwent MT, 274 met the inclusion criteria. 122 (44.5%) patients were treated in the late window. Early window patients were older (median age, 74 years [IQR, 63-80] vs 66.5 years [IQR, 54-77]; P < .001), had lower proportion of female patients (40.1% vs 54.1%; P = .029), higher median admission National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score (20 [IQR, 16-24] vs 19 [IQR, 14-22]; P = .004), and a higher prevalence of atrial fibrillation (46.1% vs 27.3; P = .002). Propensity matching yielded a well-matched cohort of 84 patients in each group. Comparing the matched cohorts showed there was no significant difference in acceptable outcomes at 90 days between the 2 groups (odds ratio = 0.90 [95% CI = 0.47-1.71]; P = .70). However, the rate of symptomatic ICH was significantly higher in the early window group compared with the late window group (odds ratio = 2.44 [95% CI = 1.06-6.02]; P = .04). CONCLUSION: Among patients with anterior circulation large vessel occlusion and low ASPECTS, MT seems to provide a similar benefit to functional outcome for patients presenting <6 hours or 6 to 24 hours after onset.

Higher proceduralist stroke thrombectomy volume is associated with reduced inpatient mortality.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine the impact of endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) proceduralist volume on in-hospital mortality in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study using the 2020 Florida State Inpatient Database, including adult patients who had a diagnosis of AIS and underwent EVT during the same admission. The primary study outcome was in-hospital death. We used Youden's Index to define an optimal threshold for number of EVTs/year/provider. Based on this cut-point, the cohort was dichotomized into low and high proceduralist volume groups. We fit logistic regression models to mortality in the full cohort, both as univariate analyses and after adjusting for covariates. RESULTS: Among 3143 AIS patients who underwent EVT, 1907 patients across 59 hospitals and 106 providers met our inclusion criteria. Among the providers, the median number of EVTs performed was 13.5 (IQR 7-25). The optimal cut-point was 17 EVTs. Demographics and comorbidities were similar between the cohorts. The high volume strata had a lower rate of in-hospital mortality (low volume 11.0% vs high volume 7.2%, P=0.005). After adjusting for potential confounders, high proceduralist volume remained significantly associated with lower odds of in-hospital death (OR 0.52, 95% CI 0.36 to 0.76, P=0.001). The difference in absolute risk of death was 4.8% (P=0.005). CONCLUSIONS: We found that high proceduralist volume, defined by ≥18 EVTs/year, was associated with reduced in-hospital morality. Further research is necessary to understand the effects of proceduralist experience and benchmarks for technical proficiency in stroke care.

Deep learning for prediction of post-thrombectomy outcomes based on admission CT angiography in large vessel occlusion stroke.

Purpose: Computed Tomography Angiography (CTA) is the first line of imaging in the diagnosis of Large Vessel Occlusion (LVO) strokes. We trained and independently validated end-to-end automated deep learning pipelines to predict 3-month outcomes after anterior circulation LVO thrombectomy based on admission CTAs. Methods: We split a dataset of 591 patients into training/cross-validation (n = 496) and independent test set (n = 95). We trained separate models for outcome prediction based on admission "CTA" images alone, "CTA + Treatment" (including time to thrombectomy and reperfusion success information), and "CTA + Treatment + Clinical" (including admission age, sex, and NIH stroke scale). A binary (favorable) outcome was defined based on a 3-month modified Rankin Scale ≤ 2. The model was trained on our dataset based on the pre-trained ResNet-50 3D Convolutional Neural Network ("MedicalNet") and included CTA preprocessing steps. Results: We generated an ensemble model from the 5-fold cross-validation, and tested it in the independent test cohort, with receiver operating characteristic area under the curve (AUC, 95% confidence interval) of 70 (0.59-0.81) for "CTA," 0.79 (0.70-0.89) for "CTA + Treatment," and 0.86 (0.79-0.94) for "CTA + Treatment + Clinical" input models. A "Treatment + Clinical" logistic regression model achieved an AUC of 0.86 (0.79-0.93). Conclusion: Our results show the feasibility of an end-to-end automated model to predict outcomes from admission and post-thrombectomy reperfusion success. Such a model can facilitate prognostication in telehealth transfer and when a thorough neurological exam is not feasible due to language barrier or pre-existing morbidities.

Comparison of combined intravenous and intra-arterial thrombolysis with intravenous thrombolysis alone in stroke patients undergoing mechanical thrombectomy: a propensity-matched analysis.

BACKGROUND: A combination of intravenous (IVT) or intra-arterial (IAT) thrombolysis with mechanical thrombectomy (MT) for acute ischemic stroke due to large vessel occlusion (AIS-LVO) has been investigated. However, there is limited data on patients who receive both IVT and IAT compared with IVT alone before MT. METHODS: STAR data from 2013 to 2023 was utilized. We performed propensity score matching between the two groups. The primary outcomes were symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) and 90-day modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score 0-2. Secondary outcomes included successful recanalization (modified treatment in cerebral infarction (mTICI) ≥2B, ≥2C), early neurological improvement, any intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), and 90-day mortality. RESULTS: A total of 2454 AIS-LVO patients were included. Propensity matching yielded 190 well-matched patients in each group. No significant differences were observed between the groups in either ICH or sICH (odds ratio (OR): 0.80, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.51-1.24, P=0.37; OR: 0.60, 95% CI 0.29 to 1.24, P=0.21, respectively). Rates of successful recanalization and early neurological improvement (ENI) were significantly lower in MT+IVT + IAT. mRS 0-1 and mortality were not significantly different between the two groups. However, the MT+IVT + IAT group demonstrated superior rates of good functional outcomes (90-day mRS 0-1) compared with patients in the MT+IVT group who had mTICI ≤2B, (OR: 2.18, 95% CI 1.05 to 3.99, P=0.04). CONCLUSION: The combined use of IAT and IVT thrombolysis in AIS-LVO patients undergoing MT is safe. Although the MT+IVT+ IAT group demonstrated lower rates of recanalization and early neurological improvement, long-term functional outcomes were favorable in this group suggesting a potential delayed benefit of IAT.

Clinical and radiographic outcomes after mechanical thrombectomy in medium-vessel posterior cerebral artery occlusions: Subgroup analysis from STAR.

BACKGROUND: Whereas mechanical thrombectomy (MT) has become standard-of-care treatment for patients with salvageable brain tissue after acute stroke caused by large-vessel occlusions, the results of MT in patients with medium-vessel occlusions (MEVOs), particularly in the posterior cerebral artery (PCA), are not well known. METHODS: Using data from the international Stroke Thrombectomy and Aneurysm Registry (STAR), we assessed presenting characteristics and clinical outcomes for patients who underwent MT for primary occlusions in the P2 PCA segment. As a subanalysis, we compared the PCA MeVO outcomes with STAR's anterior circulation MeVO outcomes, namely middle cerebral artery (MCA) M2 and M3 segments. RESULTS: Of the 9812 patients in STAR, 43 underwent MT for isolated PCA MeVOs. The patients' median age was 69 years (interquartile range 61-79), and 48.8% were female. The median NIH Stroke Scale score was 9 (range 6-17). After recanalization, 67.4% of patients achieved successful recanalization (modified treatment in cerebral infarction score [mTICI] ≥ 2b), with a first-pass success rate of 44.2%, and 39.6% achieved a modified Rankin score of 0-2 at 90 days. Nine patients (20.9%) had died by the 90-day follow-up. In comparison with M2 and M3 MeVOs, there were no differences in presenting characteristics among the three groups. Patients with PCA MeVOs were less likely to undergo intra-arterial thrombolysis (4.7% PCA vs. 10.1% M2 vs. 16.2% M3, p = 0.046) or to achieve successful recanalization (mTICI ≥ 2b, 67.4%, 86.7%, 82.3%, respectively, p < 0.001); however, there were no differences in the rates of successful first-pass recanalization (44.2%, 49.8%, 52.3%, respectively, p = 0.65). CONCLUSIONS: We describe the STAR experience performing MT in patients with PCA MeVOs. Our analysis supports that successful first-pass recanalization can be achieved in PCA MEVOs at a rate similar to that in MCA MeVOs, although further study and possible innovation may be necessary to improve successful PCA MeVO recanalization rates.

Automated detection of early signs of irreversible ischemic change on CTA source images in patients with large vessel occlusion.

PURPOSE: To create and validate an automated pipeline for detection of early signs of irreversible ischemic change from admission CTA in patients with large vessel occlusion (LVO) stroke. METHODS: We retrospectively included 368 patients for training and 143 for external validation. All patients had anterior circulation LVO stroke, endovascular therapy with successful reperfusion, and follow-up diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI). We devised a pipeline to automatically segment Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (ASPECTS) regions and extracted their relative Hounsfield unit (rHU) values. We determined the optimal rHU cut points for prediction of final infarction in each ASPECT region, performed 10-fold cross-validation in the training set, and measured the performance via external validation in patients from another institute. We compared the model with an expert neuroradiologist for prediction of final infarct volume and poor functional outcome. RESULTS: We achieved a mean area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of 0.69±0.13, 0.69±0.09, 0.61±0.23, and 0.72±0.11 across all regions and folds in cross-validation. In the external validation cohort, we achieved a median [interquartile] AUC, accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of 0.71 [0.68-0.72], 0.70 [0.68-0.73], 0.55 [0.50-0.63], and 0.74 [0.73-0.77], respectively. The rHU-based ASPECTS showed significant correlation with DWI-based ASPECTS (rS = 0.39, p<0.001) and final infarct volume (rS = -0.36, p<0.001). The AUC for predicting poor functional outcome was 0.66 (95%CI: 0.57-0.75). The predictive capabilities of rHU-based ASPECTS were not significantly different from the neuroradiologist's visual ASPECTS for either final infarct volume or functional outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates the feasibility of an automated pipeline and predictive model based on relative HU attenuation of ASPECTS regions on baseline CTA and its non-inferior performance in predicting final infarction on post-stroke DWI compared to an expert human reader.

Outcomes and differences by occluded vessel after endovascular thrombectomy for isolated medium vessel occlusions.

BACKGROUND: The outcomes of endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) for medium vessel occlusions (MeVOs) of specific vascular territories remain unknown. We aimed to investigate EVT outcomes by MeVO locations using the data from an ongoing international multicenter registry. METHODS: Patients with isolated MeVO who underwent EVT between January 2013 and December 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. Isolated MeVO was defined as an occlusion of the A2 or A3 (A2/A3), M2 or M3, and P2 or P3 (P2/P3). Outcomes included a 90-day modified Rankin score (mRS) of 0-2, successful recanalization (modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction score ≥ 2b), early neurological deterioration (END) or improvement (ENI), and 90-day mortality. END was defined as a worsening of ≥4 points from the baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score within 24 h of EVT, while ENI was defined as an improvement of ≥4 points from the baseline NIHSS score within 24 h of EVT. RESULTS: 1744 MeVOs included. Compared to M2 occlusions (n = 1542, 88.4%), A2/A3 (n = 36, 2.1%) occlusions had lower odds of 90-day mRS 0-2 (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.30, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.11-0.80), and P2/P3 occlusions (n = 49, 2.8%) had lower odds of successful recanalization (aOR 0.19, 95% CI 0.07-0.50), and higher odds of END (aOR 3.53, 95% CI 1.35-9.25). Other outcomes showed no significant differences. CONCLUSIONS: A2/A3 occlusions were more likely to have worse outcomes compared to M2 occlusions after EVT for patients with isolated MeVOs.

Earlier Endovascular Thrombectomy and Mortality in Patients with Anterior Circulation Large Vessel Occlusion: A Propensity-Matched Analysis of the Stroke Thrombectomy and Aneurysm Registry.

BACKGROUND: The definitive impact of onset to arterial puncture time (OPT) on 90-day mortality after endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) caused by anterior circulation large vessel occlusion (LVO) remains unknown. The present study aimed to evaluate the influence of OPT on 90-day mortality in anterior circulation AIS-LVO patients who underwent EVT. METHODS: Data from 33 international centers were retrospectively analyzed. The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to identify a cutoff for OPT. A propensity score-matched analysis was performed. The primary outcome was 90-day mortality (modified Rankin Scale [mRS] 6). Secondary outcomes included mortality at discharge, 90-day good outcome (mRS 0-2), 90-day poor outcome (mRS 5-6), successful recanalization (defined as postprocedure modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction scale ≥2b), and intracranial hemorrhage. RESULTS: A total of 2842 AIS-LVO patients with EVT were included. The cutoff for OPT for 90-day mortality was 180 min. Of these 378 patients had OPT <180 min and 378 patients had OPT ≥180 min in the propensity score-matched cohort (n = 756). Patients with OPT <180 min were less likely to have 90-day mortality (odds ratio [OR] 0.70, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.51-0.96) and poor outcome (OR 0.71, 95% CI 0.53-0.96), and more likely to have 90-day good outcome (OR 1.55, 95% CI 1.16-2.08). Other outcomes showed no significant differences. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that OPT <180 min was less related to 90-day mortality and poor outcome, and more to 90-day good outcome in AIS-LVO patients who underwent EVT.

Multicenter early United States feasibility study and periprocedural safety of LVIS EVO for the treatment of unruptured intracranial aneurysms.

BACKGROUND: Stent development has focused recently on low-profile, self-expandable stents compatible with 0.0165 inch microcatheters. The LVIS EVO is the second-generation version of the Low-Profile Visualized Intraluminal Support (LVIS) with improved visibility and resheathability. The LVIS EVO underwent a limited premarket release (PMR) in December 2023. This study aims to report the early safety and feasibility experience with the LVIS EVO stent for the treatment of intracranial aneurysms in the United States (US). METHODS: This was a multicenter, retrospective, observational study evaluating patients who underwent treatment of an intracranial aneurysm with an LVIS EVO stent after the limited PMR. All physicians who had placed an LVIS EVO stent were asked to input their cases after institutional review board approval was obtained. The data were then sent to a single center for analysis. Any patient aged 18 years or older who underwent treatment of an intracranial aneurysm with a LVIS EVO stent in the US was included from the initial PMR in December 2023 until April 2024. Patient age (or ≤90 years old), sex, preoperative modified Rankin Scale (mRS), aneurysm location, aneurysm measurements, and information about preoperative antiplatelet management were all collected. Data on periprocedural complications, 30-day mortality, discharge mRS, and length of stay were also collected. RESULTS: Some 53 patients with 55 aneurysms underwent treatment with the LVIS EVO stent at 15 institutions. All aneurysms were unruptured. The most common location was the anterior communicating artery (35%) followed by the middle cerebral artery bifurcation (31%). All patients were on dual antiplatelet therapy. The average aneurysm size was 5.2 mm with a neck size of 3.7 mm. The smallest distal parent vessel size was 1.2 mm and 36% of stents were deployed in distal parent vessels <2 mm. All (100%) cases had successful deployment and the stent was repositioned in 10% of cases. A single stent was utilized in 91% of cases. Coils were placed in 48 cases (87.2%) and a microcatheter was jailed in 98% of those cases. Immediate Raymond Roy (RR) Class I occlusion was obtained in 33%, Class II in 22%, Class IIIa in 37%, and Class IIIb in 8% of cases. There were no delayed thromboembolic or hemorrhagic complications. CONCLUSIONS: The LVIS EVO is a braided, self-expanding, retrievable stent with enhanced visibility and smaller cell size. The drawn filled tube (DFT) technology results in improved visibility of the stent, allowing for more controlled stent positioning and visualization of vessel wall apposition. All cases in our series had complete neck coverage and good wall apposition. There were no thromboembolic or hemorrhagic complications.

Outcomes of Mechanical Thrombectomy for Patients With Stroke Presenting With Low Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomography Score in Early and Late Time Windows.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to compare outcomes of low Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomography Score (ASPECTS) patients with stroke who underwent mechanical thrombectomy (MT) within 6 hours or 6 to 24 hours after stroke onset. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using data from a large multicenter international registry from 2013 to 2023. Patients with low ASPECTS (2-5) who underwent MT for anterior circulation intracranial large vessel occlusion were included. A propensity matching analysis was conducted for patients presented in the early (<6 hours) vs late (6-24 hours) time window after symptom onset or last known normal. RESULTS: Among the 10 229 patients who underwent MT, 274 met the inclusion criteria. 122 (44.5%) patients were treated in the late window. Early window patients were older (median age, 74 years [IQR, 63-80] vs 66.5 years [IQR, 54-77]; P < .001), had lower proportion of female patients (40.1% vs 54.1%; P = .029), higher median admission National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score (20 [IQR, 16-24] vs 19 [IQR, 14-22]; P = .004), and a higher prevalence of atrial fibrillation (46.1% vs 27.3; P = .002). Propensity matching yielded a well-matched cohort of 84 patients in each group. Comparing the matched cohorts showed there was no significant difference in acceptable outcomes at 90 days between the 2 groups (odds ratio = 0.90 [95% CI = 0.47-1.71]; P = .70). However, the rate of symptomatic ICH was significantly higher in the early window group compared with the late window group (odds ratio = 2.44 [95% CI = 1.06-6.02]; P = .04). CONCLUSION: Among patients with anterior circulation large vessel occlusion and low ASPECTS, MT seems to provide a similar benefit to functional outcome for patients presenting <6 hours or 6 to 24 hours after onset.

Use of a dedicated open transcarotid access system for neurovascular disease.

BACKGROUND: Transcarotid artery revascularization (TCAR) is an increasingly popular technique for the management of extracranial carotid stenosis. Its off-label use in the treatment of intracranial neurovascular disease is poorly described. Our objective is to describe the use of a dedicated open transcarotid access system for the treatment of neurovascular pathologies other than extracranial carotid stenosis. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database of consecutive patients who underwent treatment of neurovascular disease at a single academic center using the ENROUTE Transcarotid Arterial Sheath. Demographics, procedural characteristics, and patient outcomes were reported. RESULTS: Twenty patients were included in the study between September 2017 and March 2023. The following pathologies were treated: intracranial atherosclerotic disease (ICAD, nine patients), complex cervico-petrous carotid disease (five patients), intracranial aneurysms (three patients), and large vessel occlusion-acute ischemic stroke (three patients). Eighteen of the 20 cases were performed with active carotid flow reversal. All cases were successfully completed. There were no access-related complications. One periprocedural complication was incurred: a microguidewire perforation during an exchange maneuver for the treatment of ICAD. CONCLUSION: An open transcarotid approach using a dedicated transcarotid system may offer a safe alternative access strategy for the endovascular treatment of complex neurovascular pathologies when a traditional transfemoral or transradial approach is contraindicated or failed.

The Impact of Preprocedural Platelet Function Testing on Periprocedural Complication Rates Associated With Pipeline Flow Diversion: An International Multicenter Study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) is necessary to minimize the risk of periprocedural thromboembolic complications associated with aneurysm embolization using pipeline embolization device (PED). We aimed to assess the impact of platelet function testing (PFT) on reducing periprocedural thromboembolic complications associated with PED flow diversion in patients receiving aspirin and clopidogrel. METHODS: Patients with unruptured intracranial aneurysms requiring PED flow diversion were identified from 13 centers for retrospective evaluation. Clinical variables including the results of PFT before treatment, periprocedural DAPT regimen, and intracranial complications occurring within 72 h of embolization were identified. Complication rates were compared between PFT and non-PFT groups. Differences between groups were tested for statistical significance using the Wilcoxon rank sum, Fisher exact, or χ 2 tests. A P -value <.05 was statistically significant. RESULTS: 580 patients underwent PED embolization with 262 patients dichotomized to the PFT group and 318 patients to the non-PFT group. 13.7% of PFT group patients were clopidogrel nonresponders requiring changes in their pre-embolization DAPT regimen. Five percentage of PFT group [2.8%, 8.5%] patients experienced thromboembolic complications vs 1.6% of patients in the non-PFT group [0.6%, 3.8%] ( P = .019). Two (15.4%) PFT group patients with thromboembolic complications experienced permanent neurological disability vs 4 (80%) non-PFT group patients. 3.7% of PFT group patients [1.5%, 8.2%] and 3.5% [1.8%, 6.3%] of non-PFT group patients experienced hemorrhagic intracranial complications ( P > .9). CONCLUSION: Preprocedural PFT before PED treatment of intracranial aneurysms in patients premedicated with an aspirin and clopidogrel DAPT regimen may not be necessary to significantly reduce the risk of procedure-related intracranial complications.

Angiographic evidence of an inadvertent cannulation of the marginal sinus following central line migration: illustrative case.

BACKGROUND: Central venous catheters (CVCs) play an indispensable role in clinical practice. Catheter malposition and tip migration can lead to severe complications. The authors present a case illustrating the endovascular management of inadvertent marginal sinus cannulation after an internal jugular vein (IJV) catheter tip migration. OBSERVATIONS: A triple-lumen CVC was inserted without complications into the right IJV of a patient undergoing a repeat sternotomy for aortic valve replacement. Two weeks postinsertion, it was discovered that the tip had migrated superiorly, terminating below the torcula in the posterior fossa. In the interventional suite, a three-dimensional venogram confirmed the inadvertent marginal sinus cannulation. The catheter was carefully retracted to the sigmoid sinus to preserve the option of catheter exchange if embolization became necessary. After a subsequent venogram, which displayed an absence of contrast extravasation, the entire catheter was safely removed. The patient tolerated the procedure well. LESSONS: Clinicians must be vigilant of catheter tip migration and malposition risks. Relying solely on postinsertion radiographs is insufficient. Once identified, prompt management of the malpositioned catheter is paramount in reducing morbidity and mortality and improving patient outcomes. Removing a malpositioned catheter constitutes a critical step, best performed by a specialized team under angiographic visualization.

Impact of Procedure Time on First Pass Effect in Mechanical Thrombectomy for Anterior Circulation Acute Ischemic Stroke.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: First pass effect (FPE) is a metric increasingly used to determine the success of mechanical thrombectomy (MT) procedures. However, few studies have investigated whether the duration of the procedure can modify the clinical benefit of FPE. We sought to determine whether FPE after MT for anterior circulation large vessel occlusion acute ischemic stroke is modified by procedural time (PT). METHODS: A multicenter, international data set was retrospectively analyzed for anterior circulation large vessel occlusion acute ischemic stroke treated by MT who achieved excellent reperfusion (thrombolysis in cerebral infarction 2c/3). The primary outcome was good functional outcome defined by 90-day modified Rankin scale scores of 0-2. The primary study exposure was first pass success (FPS, 1 pass vs ≥2 passes) and the secondary exposure was PT. We fit-adjusted logistic regression models and used marginal effects to assess the interaction between PT (≤30 vs >30 minutes) and FPS, adjusting for potential confounders including time from stroke presentation. RESULTS: A total of 1310 patients had excellent reperfusion. These patients were divided into 2 cohorts based on PT: ≤30 minutes (777 patients, 59.3%) and >30 minutes (533 patients, 40.7%). Good functional outcome was observed in 658 patients (50.2%). The interaction term between FPS and PT was significant ( P = .018). Individuals with FPS in ≤30 minutes had 11.5% higher adjusted predicted probability of good outcome compared with those who required ≥2 passes (58.2% vs 46.7%, P = .001). However, there was no significant difference in the adjusted predicted probability of good outcome in individuals with PT >30 minutes. This relationship appeared identical in models with PT treated as a continuous variable. CONCLUSION: FPE is modified by PT, with the added clinical benefit lost in longer procedures greater than 30 minutes. A comprehensive metric for MT procedures, namely, FPE 30 , may better represent the ideal of fast, complete reperfusion with a single pass of a thrombectomy device.

Radiomics-Based Prediction of Collateral Status from CT Angiography of Patients Following a Large Vessel Occlusion Stroke.

BACKGROUND: A major driver of individual variation in long-term outcomes following a large vessel occlusion (LVO) stroke is the degree of collateral arterial circulation. We aimed to develop and evaluate machine-learning models that quantify LVO collateral status using admission computed tomography angiography (CTA) radiomics. METHODS: We extracted 1116 radiomic features from the anterior circulation territories from admission CTAs of 600 patients experiencing an acute LVO stroke. We trained and validated multiple machine-learning models for the prediction of collateral status based on consensus from two neuroradiologists as ground truth. Models were first trained to predict (1) good vs. intermediate or poor, or (2) good vs. intermediate or poor collateral status. Then, model predictions were combined to determine a three-tier collateral score (good, intermediate, or poor). We used the receiver operating characteristics area under the curve (AUC) to evaluate prediction accuracy. RESULTS: We included 499 patients in training and 101 in an independent test cohort. The best-performing models achieved an averaged cross-validation AUC of 0.80 ± 0.05 for poor vs. intermediate/good collateral and 0.69 ± 0.05 for good vs. intermediate/poor, and AUC = 0.77 (0.67-0.87) and AUC = 0.78 (0.70-0.90) in the independent test cohort, respectively. The collateral scores predicted by the radiomics model were correlated with (rho = 0.45, p = 0.002) and were independent predictors of 3-month clinical outcome (p = 0.018) in the independent test cohort. CONCLUSIONS: Automated tools for the assessment of collateral status from admission CTA-such as the radiomics models described here-can generate clinically relevant and reproducible collateral scores to facilitate a timely treatment triage in patients experiencing an acute LVO stroke.

Thrombectomy in Stroke Patients With Low Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomography Score: Is Modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction (mTICI) 2c/3 Superior to mTICI 2b?

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Outcomes following mechanical thrombectomy (MT) are strongly correlated with successful recanalization, traditionally defined as modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction (mTICI) ≥2b. This retrospective cohort study aimed to compare the outcomes of patients with low Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomography Score (ASPECTS; 2-5) who achieved mTICI 2b versus those who achieved mTICI 2c/3 after MT. METHODS: This study utilized data from the Stroke Thrombectomy and Aneurysm Registry (STAR), which combined databases from 32 thrombectomy-capable stroke centers between 2013 and 2023. The study included only patients with low ASPECTS who achieved mTICI 2b, 2c, or 3 after MT for internal carotid artery or middle cerebral artery (M1) stroke. RESULTS: Of the 10,229 patients who underwent MT, 234 met the inclusion criteria. Of those, 98 (41.9%) achieved mTICI 2b, and 136 (58.1%) achieved mTICI 2c/3. There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics between the two groups. The 90-day favorable outcome (modified Rankin Scale score: 0-3) was significantly better in the mTICI 2c/3 group than in the mTICI 2b group (adjusted odds ratio 2.35; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.18-4.81; P=0.02). Binomial logistic regression revealed that achieving mTICI 2c/3 was significantly associated with higher odds of a favorable 90-day outcome (odds ratio 2.14; 95% CI 1.07-4.41; P=0.04). CONCLUSION: In patients with low ASPECTS, achieving an mTICI 2c/3 score after MT is associated with a more favorable 90-day outcome. These findings suggest that mTICI 2c/3 is a better target for MT than mTICI 2b in patients with low ASPECTS.