Catheter-related thrombosis after cardiac surgery in patients with both central venous and pulmonary artery catheters inserted into the right internal jugular vein: a single-center, prospective, observational study.

Central venous catheters (CVCs) and pulmonary artery catheters (PACs) are widely used in intensive care and perioperative management. The detection and prevention of catheter-related thrombosis (CRT) are important because CRT is a complication of catheter use and can cause pulmonary embolism and bloodstream infection. Currently, there is no evidence for CRT in patients using both CVC and PAC. We conducted a single-center, prospective, observational study to identify the incidence, timing, and risk factors for CRT in patients undergoing cardiovascular surgery and using a combination of CVC and PAC through the right internal jugular vein (RIJV). Out of 50 patients, CRT was observed using ultrasonography in 39 patients (78%), and the median time of CRT formation was 1 day (interquartile range: 1-1.5) after catheter insertion. The mean duration of PAC placement was 3 days (interquartile range: 2-5), and the maximum diameter of CRT was 12 mm (interquartile range: 10-15). In short-axis images, CRT occupied more than half of the cross-sectional area of the RIJV in five patients (10%), and CRT completely occluded the RIJV in one patient (2%). Platelet count, duration of PAC placement, and intraoperative bleeding amount were found to be high-risk indicators of CRT. In conclusion, patients who underwent cardiovascular surgery and using both CVC and PAC had a high incidence of CRT. Avoiding unnecessary PAC placement and early removal of catheters in patients at high risk of developing CRT may prevent the development of CRT.

Electronic cigarette vaping with aged coils causes acute lung injury in mice.

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) have been used widely as an alternative to conventional cigarettes and have become particularly popular among young adults. A growing body of evidence has shown that e-cigarettes are associated with acute lung injury and adverse effects in multiple other organs. Previous studies showed that high emissions of aldehydes (formaldehyde and acetaldehyde) in aerosols were associated with increased usage of the same e-cigarette coils. However, the impact on lung function of using aged coils has not been reported. We investigated the relationship between coil age and acute lung injury in mice exposed to experimental vaping for 1 h (2 puffs/min, 100 ml/puff). The e-liquid contains propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin (50:50, vol) only. The concentrations of formaldehyde and acetaldehyde in the vaping aerosols increased with age of the nichrome coils starting at 1200 puffs. Mice exposed to e-cigarette aerosols produced from 1800, but not 0 or 900, puff-aged coils caused acute lung injury, increased lung wet/dry weight ratio, and induced lung inflammation (IL-6, TNF-α, IL-1ß, MIP-2). Exposure to vaping aerosols from 1800 puff-aged coils decreased heart rate, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation in mice compared to mice exposed to air or aerosols from new coils. In conclusion, we observed that the concentration of aldehydes (formaldehyde and acetaldehyde) increased with repeated and prolonged usage of e-cigarette coils. Exposure to high levels of aldehyde in vaping aerosol was associated with acute lung injury in mice. These findings show significant risk of lung injury associated with prolonged use of e-cigarette devices.

Medical Management of a Mural Thrombus Inducing Repeated Ischemic Strokes in a Patient with Congenital Afibrinogenemia.

OBJECTIVES: Congenital afibrinogenemia is an autosomal recessive inherited disorder that can cause thrombotic as well as hemorrhagic events. We describe a case of repeated mild ischemic strokes due to a mural thrombus in the carotid artery and our medical treatment. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 49-year-old woman with congenital afibrinogenemia developed two minor ischemic strokes in two months. Clinical images revealed scattered fresh infarcts in the right middle cerebral artery region and mild cervical carotid artery stenosis. The risk for surgical treatment was considered to be extraordinarily high. The patient was treated with 100 mg/day of aspirin and 3 g fibrinogen infusion every two weeks. After the one-year course of medication, the mural thrombus gradually decreased, and there were no bleeding or ischemic stroke events. CONCLUSION: This case report highlights the successful treatment of an ischemic stroke in a patient with a congenital afibrinogenemia with an antiplatelet agent and fibrinogen replacement. There are no guidelines for managing ischemic stroke in patients with congenital afibrinogenemia, and further studies are needed.

Efficacy of Carotid Artery Stenting by the Universal Protection Method.

PURPOSE: To avoid distal plaques embolization during carotid artery stenting, we developed Universal Protection Method that combined the use of a proximal common carotid artery balloon, an external carotid artery balloon, and a distal internal carotid artery filter, with continuous flow reversal to the femoral vein. Herein, we assessed the efficacy of the Universal Protection Method by comparing stenting outcomes before and after its introduction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We assessed outcomes for 115 cases before and 41 cases after the Universal Protection Method was adopted (non-Universal Protection Method and Universal Protection Method groups, respectively). We then compared procedure details, magnetic resonance imaging (within 48 hours after the procedure), intraprocedural complications, and postoperative stroke rates. RESULTS: Ischemic stroke was not observed in the Universal Protection Method group, but 1 major stroke and 2 minor strokes were observed in the non-Universal Protection Method group. High-intensity areas were seen in 6 (15.0%) and 49 (42.6%) cases in the Universal Protection Method and non-Universal Protection Method groups, respectively (P = .001). Contrastingly, intraprocedural complications were observed in 9 (22.5%) and 21 (18.3%) cases in the Universal Protection Method and non-Universal Protection Method groups, respectively. Among these intraprocedural complication cases, high-intensity areas were observed in 1 case (11.1%) in the Universal Protection Method group and in 15 cases (71.4%) in the non-Universal Protection Method group. CONCLUSIONS: Universal Protection Method is a safe technique that is applicable to all patients undergoing carotid artery stenting, irrespective of individual risk factors. Notably, the incidence rates of both distal embolization and unexpected intraprocedural complications are low.

Suitability of a 7-F ExoSeal Vascular Closure Device for Femoral Artery Punctures Made by 8-F or 9-F Introducer Sheaths.

PURPOSE: To establish the safety and efficacy of the 7-F ExoSeal device for the closure of femoral puncture sites made by 8-F or 9-F introducer sheaths. METHODS: Between January 2013 and December 2016, 332 patients (mean age 68.4±12.1 years; 195 men) underwent neurointerventional procedures via percutaneous puncture of the common femoral artery and an 8-F (n=272, 81.9%) or 9-F (n=60, 18.1%) introducer. The access sites were sealed with a 7-F ExoSeal in all cases. Procedure success and closure-related complication rates were evaluated, and risk factors for complications were analyzed by comparing patient characteristics between those who did and did not experience complications. RESULTS: Procedure success rates were 99.3% in the 8-F group and 100% in the 9-F group. The overall complication rate was 6.3% (n=17; all in the 8-F group), of which 13 (4.8%) were minor sequelae, including access-site hematoma (n=8), oozing (n=3), pseudoaneurysm (n=1), and retroperitoneal bleeding (n=1). Among the 4 (1.5%) major complications were 3 instances of bleeding requiring a blood transfusion and 1 surgical vascular repair. No complications were observed in the 9-F group. Patients who experienced complications had significantly longer activated clotting times (262±46 vs 218±55 seconds; p<0.001) compared with patients without complications. CONCLUSION: A 7-F ExoSeal vascular closure device is safe and effective for the closure of femoral puncture sites made by 8-F or 9-F introducer sheaths.

Hemispheric divided coiling technique for coil embolization of middle- and large-sized intracranial aneurysms.

Despite major developments in treating intracranial aneurysms by endovascular coil embolization, complete occlusion of the entire aneurysmal neck remains a problem. We present a novel endovascular strategy for middle- and large sized aneurysms called the "hemispheric divided coiling technique" and compare the short-term follow-up results of this technique with those of conventional coil embolization. Ten patients (mean age, 69.7 ± 9.7 years) with middle- or large-sized ruptured or unruptured intracranial aneurysms (mean maximum aneurysmal diameter, 12.09 ± 3.6 mm) were treated by the hemispheric divided coiling technique, in combination with various adjunctive techniques. We compared the initial occlusion grade, volume embolization ratio, and recurrence rate in this group of patients (hemispheric group) with the results from 20 previous cases (conventional group: mean age, 62.8 ± 9.8 years; mean maximum aneurysmal diameter, 11.43 ± 3.5 mm). The mean volume embolization ratio of the hemispheric group was significantly higher than that of the conventional group (42.3% vs. 31.1%). The hemispheric divided coiling technique achieved a high volume embolization ratio for middle- and large sized intracranial aneurysms, with a low recurrence rate.

Experimental evaluation and training of stent clot retrieval: the confront clot scrambling method.

The introduction of stent retrievers has changed the methods used for acute intracranial thrombectomy, but the training approach has not been discussed enough. We, therefore, aimed to establish a simple skill up method which can be used to train anytime and anywhere with low costs. Also, we introduce our experimental confront clot scrambling method (CCSM) which makes a profitable visualization in how the stent retriever works. The CCSM involved a sham clot set in the middle of a polyvinyl chloride tube, after which two stent retrievers were navigated from each side before being simultaneously withdrawn with the same force. The stent that removes the sham clot is determined to have stronger clot retrieval ability. Several adjunctive techniques were also compared. The push and fluff adjunctive technique was the most effective among all the stents. Generally, the former deployed stent was stronger than later one. Therefore, the later deployed stent with the push and fluff technique lets us know whether the physician's maneuver worked well or not. CCSM could directly evaluate the ability of adjunctive techniques with each stent retriever and demonstrate the physicians' skills. Because the actual endovascular clot retrieval requires extreme fine maneuvers against invisible vessels, repeat training is very important especially in beginners.

A case of anterior communicating artery aneurysm successfully treated after a stent migration during stent assisted endovascular coil embolization.

Stent migration is a complication associated with endovascular coil embolization of intracranial aneurysms. We report a case of anterior communicating artery (ACoA) aneurysm that was successfully treated after stent migration during endovascular coil embolization without retrieval of the stent. A 47-year-old man presented with sudden onset severe headache. Patient was noted to have subarachnoid hemorrhage from a ruptured ACoA aneurysm. Emergency endovascular coil embolization was performed. The second coil embolization was scheduled for the neck-remnant portion with a stent after 16 days from the initial operation. At first, a stent was deployed from the right perpendicular division of anterior cerebral artery (A2) to the left horizontal division of anterior cerebral artery (A1) entirely across the aneurysmal neck. Although the stent position looked fine, the stent migrated inferiorly to the proximal A1 portion when its delivery wire was withdrawn. Fortunately, the stent could be pushed into the distal A1 portion, when we trying to re-access the aneurysm thorough the stent with a pig-tail shaped microguidewire. Additional coil embolization was achieved using the assistance of distal tip of the stent as a scaffold of the coil. The patient was discharged without any complication on the postoperative day 6. Although there are various choices of rescue treatment after stent migration, this is the first reported case of stent repositioning with a microguidewire. Our technique may represent an effective option in case of stent migration.

Crevice sign as an indicator of plaque laceration associated with postoperative severe thromboembolism after carotid artery stenting: a case report.

Carotid artery stenting (CAS) is increasingly utilized in patients with carotid artery stenosis. Various intraprocedural and postprocedural complications have been reported in the literature. We present a case of symptomatic major thromboembolism after CAS. The intraprocedural angiogram showed extraordinary slow filling of the contrast medium into the plaque, which we named as "crevice sign." An 83-year-old man presented repeat right amaurosis fugax for 6 months. The radiological examinations revealed 85% stenosis of the origin of the right internal carotid artery. The patient underwent right CAS. The procedure was performed without any problems; however, the angiogram showed slow filling of contrast medium into the carotid plaque through the stent (crevice sign). Sixty minutes later in the ward, the patient presented sudden onset of left hemiparesis and aphasia. Emergency catheter angiography did not show in-stent thrombus, major artery occlusion, or the crevice sign. Magnetic resonance imaging on the next day revealed wide acute infarction of the right cerebral hemisphere. Physicians should be aware of the intraprocedural crevice sign so that a subsequent catastrophic ischemic event can be prevented.

8-F balloon guide catheter for embolization of anterior circulation aneurysms: an institutional experience in 152 patients.

The use of 8-F balloon guide catheter (BGC) for proximal flow control was previously shown to prevent distal embolic complications during mechanical clot retrieval in patients with acute ischemic stroke. In this retrospective study, the utility of 8-F BGCs for proximal flow control during endovascular coiling of anterior circulation aneurysms was investigated. Patients who underwent endovascular coiling for anterior circulation aneurysms between August 2013 and December 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. Among a total of 152 patients included in this series, 64 patients presented with aneurysmal rupture, whereas the aneurysms were detected incidentally or due to mass effects in the remaining patients. 8-F BGCs were successfully navigated in all patients. The balloon was inflated during navigation in 19 patients. Inflation of the catheter balloon during coil embolization was required in 34 patients; this was performed as an emergency maneuver in six of these patients. Thromboembolic complications occurred in one patient. 8-F BGC can be effectively used for proximal flow control during endovascular treatment of anterior circulation aneurysms. The other advantages included improved navigation of tortuous arterial anatomy, coil stabilization during aneurysmal coiling, and freedom to utilize aneurysmal neck-remodeling balloons for additional adjunctive techniques or to deploy rescue stents. This novel approach might be safely and effectively used in patients undergoing endovascular treatment for anterior circulation aneurysms.

Midterm Follow-Up of 20 Consecutive Patients with Nonaneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage of Unknown Origin in a Single-Center: Two Cases of De Novo Development of Dural Arteriovenous Fistula.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The mechanisms and prognosis of underlying subarachnoid hemorrhage of unknown origin remain unclear. Previous investigators have suggested a relationship between nonaneurysmal perimesencephalic subarachnoid hemorrhage and venous abnormalities like a primitive venous drainage of the basal vein of Rosenthal. We report the outcome of a midterm follow-up of 20 consecutive patients with nonaneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage of unknown origin, and 2 patients in whom the development of new dural arteriovenous fistulas after subarachnoid hemorrhage of unknown origin were detected during follow-up. METHODS: All patients who were admitted to our hospital for nontraumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage between April 2008 and March 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: Of 705 patients included in the study, 20 (2.8%) were diagnosed with nontraumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage of unknown origin. During the follow-up periods, there was no rebleeding. Although 18 patients did not show any vascular abnormalities, the other 2 patients were diagnosed with dural arteriovenous fistula. Both fistulas were successfully treated with endovascular embolization. CONCLUSIONS: Subarachnoid hemorrhage of unknown origin had a low incidence rate, and its clinical course was excellent without rebleeding. Although no vascular abnormalities were observed during the patients' initial admission, venous lesions might have been involved in both subarachnoid hemorrhages and delayed dural arteriovenous fistulas. Here, the possible pathogenesis is discussed with a review of the literature.

Successful steroid treatment of coma induced by severe spontaneous intracranial hypotension.

Spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) is a syndrome characterized by low cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressure and postural headaches. It is a rare condition which may sometimes present with severe symptoms such as stupor or coma. The standard treatment protocol includes conservative measures such as bed rest, hydration, and steroids. However, severe cases may require invasive measures such as epidural blood patch (EBP), continuous epidural saline infusion, epidural fibrin glue, or surgical repair of the dural defect. In this report, we describe a case of severe SIH resulting in coma that exhibited dramatic improvement on intravenous administration of steroids. This is the first report of severe SIH causing coma that was treated non-invasively by steroids only.

Overlap stenting for in-stent restenosis after carotid artery stenting.

Our aim was to assess the clinical safety and efficacy of overlap stenting for in-stent restenosis after carotid artery stenting. The study was conducted between July 2008 and February 2015. A database of consecutive carotid artery stenting procedures was retrospectively assessed to identify the cases of in-stent restenosis that were treated with overlap stenting under proximal or distal protection. The clinical and radiological records of the patients were then reviewed. Of the 155 CAS procedures in 149 patients from the database, 6 patients met the inclusion criteria. All the 6 patients were initially treated with moderate dilatation because of the presence of an unstable plaque. The technical success rate of the overlap stenting was 100%, with no 30-day mortality or morbidity. In addition, there was no further in-stent restenosis during a follow-up period of over 12 months. These results indicated that overlap stenting for in-stent restenosis after carotid artery stenting was both safe and effective in our cohort.

Treatment protocol based on assessment of clot quality during endovascular thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke using the Trevo stent retriever.

The optional endovascular approach for acute ischemic stroke is unclear. The Trevo stent retriever can be used as first-line treatment for fast mechanical recanalization. The authors developed a treatment protocol for acute ischemic stroke based on the assessment of clot quality during clot removal with the Trevo. This prospective single-center study included all patients admitted for acute ischemic stroke between July 2014 and February 2015, who underwent emergency endovascular treatment. According to the protocol, the Trevo was used for first-line treatment. Immediately after the Trevo was deployed, the stent delivery wire was pushed to open the stent by force (ACAPT technique). Clot quality was assessed on the basis of the perfusion status after deployment of the Trevo; continued occlusion or immediate reopening either reoccluded or maintained after the stent retriever had been in place for 5 min. If there was no obvious clot removal after the first pass with the Trevo, according to the quality of the clot, either a second pass was performed or another endovascular device was selected. Twelve consecutive patients with acute major cerebral artery occlusion were analyzed. Thrombolysis in cerebral infarction score 2b and 3 was achieved in 11 patients (91.7%) and 9 (75%) had a good clinical outcome after 90 days based on a modified Rankin scale score ≤ 2. Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage occurred in 1 patient (8.3%). The overall mortality rate was 8.3%. Endovascular thrombectomy using the Trevo stent retriever for first-line treatment is feasible and effective.

[A Novel, Less Invasive Protection Method for Carotid Artery Stenting].

Purpose: We present a novel, less invasive protection method for carotid artery stenting. Case presentation: A 67-year-old man presented with symptomatic severe left carotid artery stenosis. A transfemoral approach was dangerous because of an abdominal aortic aneurysm. A 6Fr Axcelguide Simmonds catheter was inserted into the right brachial artery, and advanced into the left common carotid artery. Next, a 6Fr Optimo 100-cm catheter was coaxially navigated into the left common carotid artery. A PercuSurge GuardWire 300-cm was coaxially navigated into the left external carotid artery. Under flow reversal with the 2 balloons, another PercuSurge GuardWire 300-cm was navigated into the distal left internal carotid artery through the lesion. After both PercuSurge GuardWire balloons were inflated, the 6Fr Optimo was deflated and retrieved using a catheter exchange technique. Then, under distal double-balloon protection, routine stenting was performed. Conclusions: This technique is safer and less invasive than previous methods, especially in cases with difficult femoral access and vulnerable carotid plaque.

Preoperative embolization of meningiomas with low-concentration n-butyl cyanoacrylate.

The aim of this study was to determine the clinical safety and efficacy of preoperative embolization of meningiomas with low-concentration n-butyl cyanoacrylate (NBCA). Nineteen cases of hypervascular intracranial meningiomas were treated by preoperative embolization with 14% NBCA, using a wedged superselective catheterization of feeding arteries and reflux-hold-reinjection technique. Clinical data of the patients and radiological and intra-surgical findings were reviewed. All tumors were successfully devascularized without any neurological complications. Marked reduction of tumor staining with extensive NBCA penetration was achieved in 13 cases. Perioperative blood transfusion was only required in two cases. These results indicate that preoperative embolization of meningiomas with low-concentration NBCA is both safe and effective.

A case of ruptured intrameatal aneurysm successfully treated with coil embolization.

Aneurysms within the internal acoustic canal are rare. We report the case of a 71-year-old female with subarachnoid hemorrhage resulting from a ruptured distal anterior inferior cerebellar artery which was not detected on initial radiological examination. A second rupture was detected by contrast-enhanced computed tomography and successfully treated by endovascular coil embolization. The patient recovered without neurological deficits. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of an intrameatal aneurysm treated by endovascular coil embolization. We suggest endovascular coil embolization as an alternative to open surgery, even in cases of deep intrameatal aneurysm.

[Case of an anterior communicating artery aneurysm with acute in-stent occlusion during coil embolization].

PURPOSE: We report a case of acute in-stent occlusion during a stent-assisted coil embolization of a communicating artery aneurysm. CASE PRESENTATION: A 58-year-old man presented with a regrowth of an anterior communicating artery aneurysm one year after the initial coil embolization. An acute in-stent occlusion occurred during coil filling through the stent strut. We performed a successful recanalization of the stent using antithrombotic agents. CONCLUSIONS: Acute in-stent occlusion is a possible complication of stent-assisted coil embolization of aneurysms, particularly in narrow parent arteries. Our patient was recovered using antithrombotic drugs and did not present any major ischemic symptoms.

[A Case of Cavernous Sinus Dural Arteriovenous Fistula after Transverse-Sigmoid Sinus Dural Arteriovenous Fistula Treatment with Radical Transvenous Coil Embolization].

PURPOSE: We report a case of cavernous sinus dural arteriovenous fistula (dAVF) that developed after the treatment of a transverse-sigmoid sinus dAVF using transvenous embolization (TVE). CASE PRESENTATION: A 72-year-old woman presented with headache and left-sided tinnitus. Angiography demonstrated the presence of a left transverse-sigmoid sinus dAVF. After TVE, the patient's symptoms completely disappeared. Three years later, she complained of left-sided tinnitus and diplopia, and angiography revealed the presence of a left cavernous sinus dAVF. We performed transvenous coil embolization, and the dAVF disappeared. CONCLUSIONS: TVE has been widely recognized as an effective treatment for dAVF. However, dAVF may develop at a different location after TVE in a few cases. A long-term follow-up is therefore recommended.