Role of Nimodipine and Milrinone in Delayed Cerebral Ischemia.

OBJECTIVE: The role of nimodipine and milrinone in the management of delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) was studied using clinical and TCD (transcranial Doppler) parameters. METHODS: In this prospective observational study, patients with DCI after aneurysmal SAH presenting between November 2020 and June 2021 who were treated by either intra-arterial nimodipine (IAN) or intravenous milrinone (IVM) were included after excluding patients in whom both IAN and IVM had been given or mechanical angioplasty was performed. Twelve-hourly TCD was performed during the course of the therapy. Clinical improvement and the development of new brain infarcts were also assessed. A P value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Thirty-four patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria (IVM, 13/34 [38%]; IAN, 21/34 [62%]); patients in the IVM group (vs. IAN group) had poorer median Glasgow Coma Scale score (12 vs. 13), poorer motor response (

"Trapped labelled spins"-related signal on arterial spin labelling in the assessment of flow-diverted aneurysms: preliminary experience.

PURPOSE: To investigate ASL-MRI features of flow-diverted aneurysms, review their haemodynamic surrogates, and discuss their pertinent clinical implications. METHODS: Retrospective single institutional analysis was performed on the clinical and imaging data of patients who underwent digital subtraction angiography (DSA) and ASL-MRI after endovascular flow diversion for cerebral aneurysms. Pseudo-continuous ASL-MRI was performed with post-label delays of 1525-1800 ms. Intra-aneurysmal "trapped labelled spins" (TLS)-related hypersignal, as seen on cerebral blood flow (CBF)-weighted maps of ASL-MRI, was investigated. Intermodality equivalence with DSA [O'Kelly-Marotta (OKM) grading for occlusion], 3D-TOF-MRA, and 3D spin-echo T1-weighted ("black-blood") images was assessed. RESULTS: Ten cases were included. "TLS" signal was demonstrable in 7/8 (87.5%) of the DSA-visible flow-diverted aneurysms (OKM grade B3, n = 6; OKM grade A3, n = 2). No TLS was seen in both OKM-D (excluded) aneurysms. TLS was not visualised in an OKM-B3 aneurysm with < 3 mm opacifying remnant. 3D-TOF-MRA and ASL-MRI were discordant at 5 instances (45.4%; TOF-MRA false negative, n = 4; false positive, n = 1). Loss of flow void on black-blood images corresponded to the absence of TLS and vice versa in all cases but one. CONCLUSION: "Trapped labelled spins"-related signal on ASL-MRI occurs in patent large aneurysms that have undergone successful endovascular flow diversion. This phenomenon likely represents an interplay of a multitude of haemodynamic factors including decelerated intra-aneurysmal inflow and outflow restriction. Serial intra-saccular TLS signal changes may hold diagnostic value, including contexts where 3D-TOF-MRA interpretation becomes dubious. "Trapped labelled spins"-related signal as a non-invasive proxy marker of aneurysm patency can possibly obviate unnecessary DSA.

Intermittent theta burst stimulation of cerebellar vermis enhances fronto-cerebellar resting state functional connectivity in schizophrenia with predominant negative symptoms: A randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: Negative symptoms of schizophrenia are substantially disabling and treatment resistant. Novel treatments like repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) need to be examined for the same using the experimental medicine approach that incorporates tests of mechanism of action in addition to clinical efficacy in trials. METHODS: Study was a double-blind, parallel, randomized, sham-controlled trial recruiting schizophrenia with at least a moderate severity of negative symptoms. Participants were randomized to real or sham intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) under MRI-guided neuro-navigation, targeting the cerebellar vermis area VII-B, at a stimulus intensity of 100% active motor threshold, two sessions/day for five days (total = 6000 pulses). Assessments were conducted at baseline (T0), day-6 (T1) and week-6 (T2) after initiation of intervention. Main outcomes were, a) Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS) score (T0, T1, T2), b) fronto-cerebellar resting state functional connectivity (RSFC) (T0, T1). RESULTS: Thirty participants were recruited in each arm. Negative symptoms improved in both arms (p < 0.001) but was not significantly different between the two arms (p = 0.602). RSFC significantly increased between the cerebellar vermis and the right inferior frontal gyrus (pcluster-FWER = 0.033), right pallidum (pcluster-FWER = 0.042) and right frontal pole (pcluster-FWER = 0.047) in the real arm with no change in the sham arm. CONCLUSION: Cerebellar vermal iTBS engaged a target belonging to the class of cerebello-subcortical-cortical networks, implicated in negative symptoms of schizophrenia. However, this did not translate to a superior clinical efficacy. Future trials should employ enhanced midline cerebellar TMS stimulation parameters for longer durations that can potentiate and translate biological changes into clinical effects.

Precipitating hydrophobic injectable liquid embolization of intracranial vascular shunts: initial experience and technical note.

Precipitating hydrophobic injectable liquid is a new liquid embolic agent used mainly for intracranial neurointervention. The agent is ready to use (no shaking is required), since iodine, the radiopaque material, is covalently bonded into the compound. Additionally, due to the absence of tantalum, minimal artifacts are seen on postprocedure follow-up CT scans, and the agent penetrates into vessels smaller than 10 µm. The authors report their initial experience with the use of this agent in neurovascular intervention.

Transarterial treatment of direct carotico-cavernous fistulas with coils and Onyx.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of combination of liquid embolic agent ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (Onyx) and detachable coils in the treatment of direct carotico-cavernous fistulas (CCFs). METHODS: We prospectively collected clinical and radiological data of all patients who underwent embolization of direct CCFs at our institution over a period of 21 months. The clinical parameters, angioarchitecture, presence of cortical venous reflux, volume of Onyx used, number of coils used, extent of embolization and complications were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 21 consecutive patients (18 men and 3 women, 14 to 48 years) with direct CCF underwent embolization with a combination of coils and Onyx. Embolization was done through the arterial route in all cases. Complete obliteration of the fistula was achieved in 19 of 21 cases. Cast embolization in middle cerebral artery occurred in one patient; however, the cast was completely retrieved with Solitaire device, and the patient did not have any neurological deficit. All completely treated patients reported relief of symptoms at varying intervals. At 6-month follow-up, none of the patients with complete occlusion of the fistula showed any recurrence. CONCLUSION: The adjuvant use of Onyx with detachable coils in direct CCF through the arterial route is a safe and effective method for embolization with immediate and complete occlusion of the fistula. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case series of demonstration of arterial use of Onyx with coils in the treatment of direct CCFs.