The Tigertriever 13 for mechanical thrombectomy in distal and medium intracranial vessel occlusions.

PURPOSE: To report our two-center initial experience using the Tigertriever 13 in the treatment of acute stroke of distal, medium vessel occlusions (DMVO). METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of all patients treated by mechanical thrombectomy using the Tigertriever 13 device (a manually expandable low profile stent retriever) due to an acute DMVO. Locations included the anterior, middle, and posterior cerebral artery in the A2 and A3, the M3 and M4, and the P2 or P3 segment and the superior cerebellar artery. RESULTS: Forty-three patients with 45 DMVOs underwent MTE using the Tigertriever 13 with the intention-to-treat approach between May 2019 and December 2020. After a median of two thrombectomy maneuvers, the successful recanalization rate (mTICI 2b-3) was 84.4% (38/45) with a first pass effect of 26.7% (12/45). The rate of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhages (sICH) and subarachnoid hemorrhages (SAH) was 7.0% (3/43) and 14.0% (6/43), respectively. At discharge, 53.5% (23/43) of the patients had a favorable clinical outcome (mRS 0-2). CONCLUSION: Mechanical thrombectomy in DMVOs using the Tigertriever 13 leads to high recanalization rates. The incidence of mostly asymptomatic hemorrhagic events appears higher compared to MTE procedures in LVOs. Further studies will help to identify anatomic and clinical criteria to define a guideline for MTE in DMVOs.

NIMBUS geometric clot extractor for challenging clots: Real-world clinical experience and clot composition.

PURPOSE: Revascularization rates following mechanical thrombectomy (MT) for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) remain suboptimal for patients with fibrin-rich, recalcitrant clots. The NIMBUS Geometric Clot Extractor has demonstrated promising in vitro revascularization rates using fibrin-rich clot analogs. This study assessed the retrieval rate and composition of clot using NIMBUS in a clinical setting. METHODS: This retrospective study included patients who underwent MT with NIMBUS at two high-volume stroke centers between December 2019 and May 2021. NIMBUS was used for clots deemed challenging to remove at the interventionalist's discretion. At one of the centers, per pass clot was collected for histological analysis by an independent lab. RESULTS: A total of 37 patients (mean age 76.87 ± 11.73 years; 18 female; mean time from stroke onset 11.70 ± 6.41 h) were included. NIMBUS was used as first and second-line device in 5 and 32 patients, respectively. The main reason for using NIMBUS (32/37) was the failure of standard MT techniques after a mean 2.86 ± 1.48 number of passes. Substantial reperfusion (mTICI ≥2b) was achieved in 29/37 patients (78.4%) with a mean of 1.81 ± 1.00 NIMBUS passes (mean 4.68 ± 1.68 passes with all devices), and NIMBUS was the final device used in 79.3% (23/29) of those cases. Clot specimens from 18 cases underwent composition analysis. Fibrin and platelets represented 31.4 ± 13.7% and 28.8 ± 18.8% of clot components; 34.4 ± 19.5% were red blood cells. CONCLUSIONS: In this series, NIMBUS was effective in removing tough clots rich in fibrin and platelets in challenging real-world situations.

Safety and Efficacy of the Novel Low-Profile APERIO Hybrid17 for a Treatment of Proximal and Distal Vessel Occlusion in Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Multi-Center Experience.

OBJECTIVE: To report our initial experience with the novel low-profile APERIO Hybrid17 Thrombectomy Device (AP17) for proximal and distal vessel occlusions in acute ischemic stroke. METHODS: A multicentric retrospective analysis of patients treated with the AP17 was performed. The primary effectiveness endpoint was first-pass TICI ≥2b (Thrombolysis in cerebral infarction scale). The primary safety endpoint was the occurrence of hemorrhagic complications. Further outcome measures were number of passes, device-related complications, and 3-month functional outcome. RESULTS: The AP17 was used in 71 patients (mean age: 73 years) with a median baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score of 9. Treated vessels were the carotid-T in 8 cases (11%), the M1-segment in 16 (23%), the M2-segment in 29 (41%), the anterior cerebral artery in 3 (4%), and basilar/posterior cerebral arteries in 15 (21%). The rates of first-pass and final TICI ≥2b were 75.6% and 92.7%, retrospectively, with a mean number of passes of 3 ± 2. Final TICI ≥2b rates were comparable between large and medium vessel occlusions. Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhages were recorded in 2 cases (2.8%). At 3-month clinical follow-up, a modified Rankin scale score ≤2 was achieved in 69.0% (29/42). The all-cause mortality at discharge was 17.4%. CONCLUSIONS: The AP17 was associated with a reasonable safety and efficacy profile for both proximal and distal vessel occlusions. These results may contribute to establish mechanical thrombectomy for distal occlusions.