Trial of Early Minimally Invasive Removal of Intracerebral Hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND: Trials of surgical evacuation of supratentorial intracerebral hemorrhages have generally shown no functional benefit. Whether early minimally invasive surgical removal would result in better outcomes than medical management is not known. METHODS: In this multicenter, randomized trial involving patients with an acute intracerebral hemorrhage, we assessed surgical removal of the hematoma as compared with medical management. Patients who had a lobar or anterior basal ganglia hemorrhage with a hematoma volume of 30 to 80 ml were assigned, in a 1:1 ratio, within 24 hours after the time that they were last known to be well, to minimally invasive surgical removal of the hematoma plus guideline-based medical management (surgery group) or to guideline-based medical management alone (control group). The primary efficacy end point was the mean score on the utility-weighted modified Rankin scale (range, 0 to 1, with higher scores indicating better outcomes, according to patients' assessment) at 180 days, with a prespecified threshold for posterior probability of superiority of 0.975 or higher. The trial included rules for adaptation of enrollment criteria on the basis of hemorrhage location. A primary safety end point was death within 30 days after enrollment. RESULTS: A total of 300 patients were enrolled, of whom 30.7% had anterior basal ganglia hemorrhages and 69.3% had lobar hemorrhages. After 175 patients had been enrolled, an adaptation rule was triggered, and only persons with lobar hemorrhages were enrolled. The mean score on the utility-weighted modified Rankin scale at 180 days was 0.458 in the surgery group and 0.374 in the control group (difference, 0.084; 95% Bayesian credible interval, 0.005 to 0.163; posterior probability of superiority of surgery, 0.981). The mean between-group difference was 0.127 (95% Bayesian credible interval, 0.035 to 0.219) among patients with lobar hemorrhages and -0.013 (95% Bayesian credible interval, -0.147 to 0.116) among those with anterior basal ganglia hemorrhages. The percentage of patients who had died by 30 days was 9.3% in the surgery group and 18.0% in the control group. Five patients (3.3%) in the surgery group had postoperative rebleeding and neurologic deterioration. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients in whom surgery could be performed within 24 hours after an acute intracerebral hemorrhage, minimally invasive hematoma evacuation resulted in better functional outcomes at 180 days than those with guideline-based medical management. The effect of surgery appeared to be attributable to intervention for lobar hemorrhages. (Funded by Nico; ENRICH ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02880878.).

Left anterior cranial fossa dural arteriovenous fistula ligation using a supra-orbital (eyebrow) craniotomy.

A 67-year-old male presented to the hospital with a left anterior cranial fossa arteriovenous fistula connecting the anterior ethmoidal artery to the cavernous sinus and superior sagittal sinus. After failed embolization, the patient was taken for a supra-orbital (eyebrow) craniotomy for surgical dissection and clipping of the fistula. An intraoperative angiogram confirmed successful fistula ligation. The patient was discharged without complications.The video can be found here: https://youtu.be/79Pk11SEkJg.

Blood Supply to the human spinal cord: part II. Imaging and pathology.

The blood supply of the spinal cord is a complex system based on multilevel sources and anastomoses. Diseases often affect this vascular supply and imaging has been developed that better investigates these structures. The authors review the literature regarding pathology and imaging modalities for the blood supply of the spinal cord. Knowledge of the disease processes and imaging modalities used to investigate these arterial lesions of the spinal cord will assist the clinician when treating patients with spinal cord lesions.

Efficacy of postoperative seizure prophylaxis in intra-axial brain tumor resections.

The effectiveness of seizure prophylaxis in controlling postoperative seizures following craniotomy for tumor resection is unclear. Most patients are seizure-free before surgery. To prevent seizures, it is common to treat tumor craniotomy patients postoperatively with an antiepileptic drug (AED). The authors retrospectively analyzed seizure occurrence with and without postoperative prophylactic AEDs. Between 2005 and 2011 at the authors' institution, 588 patients underwent craniotomy for brain tumors and were screened. Data on seizures, AED use, histopathology, comorbidities, complications, and follow-up were collected. Exclusion criteria included lack of follow-up data, previous operation, preoperative seizures, or preoperative AED prophylaxis. The incidence of postoperative seizures in patients with and without prophylactic AEDs was compared using logistic regression analysis. A total of 202 patients (50.5% female) were included. The most common tumor diagnosis was metastasis (42.6%). Of the 202 patients, 66.3% were prescribed prophylactic AED after surgery. Forty-six of 202 (22.8%) suffered a postoperative seizure. The odds of seizure for patients on prophylactic AED was 1.62 times higher than those not on AED (p = 0.2867). No difference was found in seizure occurrence between patients with glioblastoma multiforme compared with other tumor types (odds ratio 1.75, p = 0.1468). No difference was found in time-to-seizure between the two groups (hazard ratio 1.38, p = 0.3776). These data show no statistically significant benefit to prophylactic postoperative AED and a nonsignificant trend for increased seizure risk with AEDs. A randomized, placebo-controlled trial is needed to clarify the benefit of postoperative AED use for brain tumor resection.

Incidence, epidemiology, and treatment of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage in 12 midwest communities.

Only 8 studies have investigated the incidence and epidemiology of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) in the United States. This is the first investigation in Indiana, which has some of the highest rates of tobacco smoking and obesity in the nation. The authors prospectively identified 441 consecutive patients with aSAH from 2005 to 2010 at 2 hospitals where the majority of cases are treated. Incidence calculations were based on US Census populations. Epidemiologic variables included demography; risk factors; Hunt and Hess scale; Fisher grade; number, location, and size of aneurysms; treatment type; and complications. Overall incidence was 21.8 per 100,000 population. Incidence was higher in women, increased with age, and did not vary by race. One third to half of patients were hypertensive and/or smoked cigarettes at the time of ictus. Variations by count were partially explained by Health Factor and Morbidity Rankings. Complications varied by treatment. These findings deviate from estimates that 6-16 per 100,000 people in the United States will develop aSAH and are double the incidence in a Minnesota population between 1945 and 1974. The results also deviate from the worldwide estimate of 9.0 aSAHs per 100,000 person-years. The predictive value of variations in Health Factor and Morbidity Rankings implicates the importance of future research on multivariate biopsychosocial causation of aSAH.

Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Endovascular Therapy Effectiveness for Unruptured Saccular Intracranial Aneurysms.

Background: Currently, endovascular treatment of intracranial aneurysms (ICAs) is limited by low complete occlusion rates. The advent of novel endovascular technology has expanded the applicability of endovascular therapy; however, the superiority of novel embolic devices over the traditional Guglielmi detachable coils (GDCs) is still debated. We performed a systematic review of literature that reported Raymond-Roy occlusion classification (RROC) rates of modern endovascular devices to determine their immediate and follow-up occlusion effectiveness for the treatment of unruptured saccular ICAs. Methods: A search was conducted using electronic databases (PUBMED, Cochrane, ClinicalTrials.gov, Web of Science). We retrieved studies published between 2000-2022 reporting immediate and follow-up RROC rates of subjects treated with different endovascular ICA therapies. We extracted demographic information of the treated patients and their reported angiographic RROC rates. Results: A total of 80 studies from 15 countries were included for data extraction. RROC rates determined from angiogram were obtained for 21,331 patients (72.5% females, pooled mean age: 58.2 (95% CI: 56.8-59.6), harboring 22,791 aneurysms. The most frequent aneurysm locations were the internal carotid artery (46.4%, 95% CI: 41.9%-50.9%), the anterior communicating artery (26.4%, 95% CI: 22.5%-30.8%), the middle cerebral artery (24.5%, 95% CI:19.2%-30.8%) and the basilar tip (14.4%, 95% CI:11.3%-18.3%). The complete occlusion probability (RROC-I) was analyzed for GDCs, the Woven EndoBridge (WEB), and flow diverters. The RROC-I rate was the highest in balloon-assisted coiling (73.9%, 95% CI: 65.0%-81.2%) and the lowest in the WEB (27.8%, 95% CI:13.2%-49.2%). The follow-up RROC-I probability was homogenous in all analyzed devices. Conclusions: We observed that the coil-based endovascular therapy provides acceptable rates of complete occlusion, and these rates are improved in balloon-assisted coils. Out of the analyzed devices, the WEB exhibited the shortest time to achieve >90% probability of follow-up complete occlusion (~18 months). Overall, the GDCs remain the gold standard for endovascular treatment of unruptured saccular aneurysms.

Symptomatic carotid artery stenosis.

The management of patients with extracranial carotid artery stenosis remains controversial. Randomized controlled studies established the value of carotid endarterectomy (CEA) over optimal medical therapy for patients with symptomatic carotid stenosis. For patients with carotid stenosis, optimal medical therapy includes antiplatelet agents, antihypertensives, and lipid-lowering medications along with lifestyle modifications. Some studies and experts have challenged these treatment methods and consider carotid artery stenting with distal protection as an alternative to CEA. In this article, the authors review current guidelines and supporting studies and suggest practical approaches to this common clinical problem.

Recognition and evaluation of nontraumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage and ruptured cerebral aneurysm.

Swift diagnosis and treatment are critical for good outcomes in patients with nontraumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage, which is usually caused by a ruptured aneurysm. This type of stroke often results in death or disability. Rates of misdiagnosis and treatment delays for subarachnoid hemorrhage have improved over the years, but these are still common occurrences. Subarachnoid hemorrhage can be more easily diagnosed in patients who present with severe symptoms, unconsciousness, or with thunderclap headache, which is often accompanied by vomiting. The diagnosis is more elusive in patients who present in good condition, yet these patients have the best chance for good outcome if they are correctly diagnosed at the time of presentation. Physicians should be alert for warning headaches, which are often severe, and headaches that feel different to the patient. Other symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, impaired consciousness, nuchal rigidity, orbital pain, focal neurologic deficits, dysphasia, lightheadedness, and dizziness. The most important risk factors for subarachnoid hemorrhage include cigarette smoking, hypertension, heavy alcohol use, and personal or family history of aneurysm or hemorrhagic stroke. The first step in the diagnostic workup is noncontrast computed tomography of the head. If computed tomography is negative or equivocal, a lumbar puncture should be performed. Subsequent imaging may include computed tomographic angiography, catheter angiography, and magnetic resonance angiography.

Dural arteriovenous fistulas presenting with brainstem dysfunction: diagnosis and surgical treatment.

A cerebral dural arteriovenous fistula (DAVF) is an acquired abnormal arterial-to-venous connection within the leaves of the intracranial dura with a wide range of clinical presentations and natural history. The Cognard classification correlates venous drainage patterns with neurological course, identifying 5 DAVF types with increasing rates of symptomatic presentation. A spinal DAVF occurs when a radicular artery makes a direct anomalous shunt with a radicular vein within the dural leaflets of the nerve root sleeve. A cervical DAVF is a rare entity, as most spinal DAVFs present as thoracolumbar lesions with myelopathy. In this paper the authors present 2 patients presenting initially with brainstem dysfunction rather than myelopathy secondary to craniocervical DAVF. The literature is then reviewed for similar rare aggressive DAVFs at the craniocervical junction presenting with brainstem symptomatology.

Warfarin versus factor Xa inhibitors in the long-term treatment of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis a single-center retrospective analysis.

Long-term anticoagulation in the treatment of Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis (CVST) has revolved around the use of warfarin. The relatively recent introduction of Direct Oral Anticoagulants (DOACs), such as Factor Xa inhibitors, in treating CVSTs promises to offer numerous patient benefits. We aimed to examine the efficacy of Factor Xa inhibitors in comparison to warfarin in the long-term treatment of CVSTs. A single-center retrospective analysis was conducted in which 49 eligible patients having presented with a first-time CVST were identified. Long-term anticoagulation was achieved with Warfarin (n = 23) or Factor Xa Inhibitors (n = 26; Apixaban or Rivaroxaban). Outcomes of interest were improvements in patient functional status, modified Ranking Scores (mRS), and radiographic improvement/resolution in sinus thromboses. Secondary comparisons included complication rates, particularly recurring venous thrombotic events. Patient mRS scores by 7-to-18-month follow-up all fell within the extremely favorable range of 0-1 regardless of the long-term anticoagulant (P-value = 0.3591). Proportion of patients with radiographic improvement/resolution of thrombosed sinuses trended towards being higher in the Factor Xa Inhibitor group at the <12-month period, 69.2%, compared to 33.3% with Warfarin (P-value = 0.0548). By the >12-month follow-up period, Warfarin and Factor Xa inhibitor groups had similar rates of radiographic sinus improvement - 76.9% versus 71.4%, respectively (P-value = 0.6298). No statistically significant differences were documented between groups regarding complications. Factor Xa inhibitors are equally as effective as Warfarin in the long-term treatment of CVSTs, whether it be restoring patient functional status, sinus thrombus burden reduction, or minimizing bleeding complications whilst preventing recurrent venous thrombosis.

SMART Registry: Safety and Performance of the Penumbra SMART COIL System for Patients With Intracranial Aneurysms 4 mm and Smaller.

BACKGROUND: The Penumbra SMART COIL System includes a novel generation of embolic coils composed of complex and WAVE shape properties with varying levels of softness. OBJECTIVE: To assess safety and efficacy of the SMART COIL System through a 1-year follow-up in patients with small intracranial aneurysms. METHODS: This subset analysis of the SMART Registry, a prospective, multicenter study, includes patients with small intracranial aneurysms (≤4 mm) treated with the SMART COIL System. Registry end points include retreatment rates through 1 year, procedural device-related serious adverse events, and adequate occlusion postprocedure. RESULTS: Of 905 enrolled patients with aneurysms, 172 (19.0%) had small (≤4 mm) aneurysms (75.6% female; mean age 57.2 ± 13.4 years). 30.8% (53/172) of small aneurysms were ruptured, of which 50.9% (27/53) had Hunt and Hess ≥3. 79.5% (132/166) were wide-necked. Stent-assisted coiling and balloon-assisted coiling were performed in 37.2% (64/172) and 22.1% (38/172) of patients, respectively. The mean packing density for very small aneurysms was 44.9 (SD 25.23). Raymond Class I and Class II were achieved in 89.5% (154/172) postprocedure and 97.2% (137/141) at 1 year. The retreatment rate through 1 year was 5.6% (8/142), and the recanalization rate was 7.1% (10/141). The periprocedural device-related serious adverse event rate was 2.9% (5/172). Intraprocedural aneurysm rupture occurred in 0.8% of patients. CONCLUSION: This analysis suggests that the SMART COIL System is safe and efficacious in small aneurysms with satisfactory occlusion rates and low rates of rupture or rerupture. At 1 year, patients had low retreatment rates and good clinical outcomes.

Shape Memory Polymer-Based Endovascular Devices: Design Criteria and Future Perspective.

Devices for the endovascular embolization of intracranial aneurysms (ICAs) face limitations related to suboptimal rates of lasting complete occlusion. Incomplete occlusion frequently leads to residual flow within the aneurysm sac, which subsequently causes aneurysm recurrence needing surgical re-operation. An emerging method for improving the rates of complete occlusion both immediately after implant and in the longer run can be the fabrication of patient-specific materials for ICA embolization. Shape memory polymers (SMPs) are materials with great potential for this application, owing to their versatile and tunable shape memory properties that can be tailored to a patient's aneurysm geometry and flow condition. In this review, we first present the state-of-the-art endovascular devices and their limitations in providing long-term complete occlusion. Then, we present methods for the fabrication of SMPs, the most prominent actuation methods for their shape recovery, and the potential of SMPs as endovascular devices for ICA embolization. Although SMPs are a promising alternative for the patient-specific treatment of ICAs, there are still limitations that need to be addressed for their application as an effective coil-free endovascular therapy.

A pilot study on biaxial mechanical, collagen microstructural, and morphological characterizations of a resected human intracranial aneurysm tissue.

Intracranial aneurysms (ICAs) are focal dilatations that imply a weakening of the brain artery. Incidental rupture of an ICA is increasingly responsible for significant mortality and morbidity in the American's aging population. Previous studies have quantified the pressure-volume characteristics, uniaxial mechanical properties, and morphological features of human aneurysms. In this pilot study, for the first time, we comprehensively quantified the mechanical, collagen fiber microstructural, and morphological properties of one resected human posterior inferior cerebellar artery aneurysm. The tissue from the dome of a right posterior inferior cerebral aneurysm was first mechanically characterized using biaxial tension and stress relaxation tests. Then, the load-dependent collagen fiber architecture of the aneurysm tissue was quantified using an in-house polarized spatial frequency domain imaging system. Finally, optical coherence tomography and histological procedures were used to quantify the tissue's microstructural morphology. Mechanically, the tissue was shown to exhibit hysteresis, a nonlinear stress-strain response, and material anisotropy. Moreover, the unloaded collagen fiber architecture of the tissue was predominantly aligned with the testing Y-direction and rotated towards the X-direction under increasing equibiaxial loading. Furthermore, our histological analysis showed a considerable damage to the morphological integrity of the tissue, including lack of elastin, intimal thickening, and calcium deposition. This new unified characterization framework can be extended to better understand the mechanics-microstructure interrelationship of aneurysm tissues at different time points of the formation or growth. Such specimen-specific information is anticipated to provide valuable insight that may improve our current understanding of aneurysm growth and rupture potential.

Venous Sinus Stenosis Treatment in Pediatric Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension: Illustrative Case and Literature Review.

OBJECTIVE: To review the literature of venous sinus stenosis (VSS) treatment in children for idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) and present our own institutional case. METHODS: A literature review was conducted using the PubMed and MEDLINE databases up to June 2020. From 134 studies that were screened, 6 studies were chosen for analysis that included patients <18 years old, a diagnosis of IIH that fit Dandy diagnostic criteria, and angiogram obtained to assess for VSS. IIH symptoms experienced in the pediatric population and efficacy of venous sinus stenting were analyzed. RESULTS: Eleven patients identified in the literature and 1 patient from our institution were included in the analysis. There was no statistically significant difference in pressure gradient response to stenting between male and female patients (P = 0.424) or patients with body mass index >90th percentile (P = 0.626). Larger decreases in pressure gradient after stent placement correlated with headache resolution (P = 0.0005). Patients who underwent unilateral stenting showed greater reduction in pressure gradient compared with patients who underwent bilateral stenting (average change 24 mm Hg vs. 5.75 mm Hg, P = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis showed that VSS treatment has the potential to be a safe option for IIH in pediatric patients. VSS treatment has shown similar results to traditional cerebrospinal fluid diversion procedures, with a lower complication rate and need for revision. More studies should be conducted to analyze the long-term efficacy and safety of VSS treatment in pediatric patients with IIH.

Technical Success and Early Efficacy in 851 Patients with Saccular Intracranial Aneurysms: A Subset Analysis of SMART, a Prospective, Multicenter Registry Assessing the Embolization of Neurovascular Lesions using the Penumbra SMART COIL System.

OBJECTIVE: The Prospective, Multicenter Registry Assessing the Embolization of Neurovascular Lesions Using the Penumbra SMART COIL® System (SMART) is the largest prospective, multicenter, postmarket registry established to gather real-world experience on Penumbra (Alameda, USA) SMART COIL System, PC400, and POD embolization coils. The goal of this study is to report the technical success and efficacy of SMART COIL System coils in treating saccular intracranial aneurysms. METHODS: This subgroup analysis from the SMART registry included patients with saccular intracranial aneurysms treated using ≥75% SMART COIL System or PC400 coils. Baseline and procedural data, angiographic data, and clinical outcomes were collected. Predictors of catheter kickout, packing density, and postprocedural angiographic outcome were analyzed using multivariable regression models in saccular aneurysm cases. RESULTS: Between June 2016 and August 2018, the SMART registry enrolled 995 patients at 68 sites, of which 851 of 995 (85.5%) were treated for saccular aneurysms (mean age, 59.9 years). Aneurysms had a mean size of 6.8 mm, were wide neck in 63.1%, and ruptured in 31.0% of patients. Mean aneurysm packing density was 32.3%. Postprocedural Raymond-Roy Occlusion Classification (RROC) I-II was achieved in 80.3% of patients; smaller aneurysms, non-wide-neck aneurysms, and high packing density were predictive of RROC I-II. Overall, mean fluoroscopic time was 43.4 minutes, rate of reaccess attempts because of catheter kickout was 6.2%, and mean procedure time was 83.2 minutes. CONCLUSIONS: SMART COIL System coils achieved good technical success and adequate occlusion in treating saccular intracranial aneurysms in a real-world setting.

Reported incidence and treatment modalities of giant cerebral aneurysms in the pediatric population: A systematic review and illustrative case report.

Giant intracranial aneurysms represent a complex pathology that pose challenges for management, especially in the pediatric population. With emerging endovascular techniques, combined endovascular and open surgical approaches may be a favorable alternative for complex cases. In this systematic review, we characterize the treatment modalities of giant aneurysms in the pediatric population and provide an update on the number of giant aneurysms reported in the literature by anatomic location. We conducted a literature search of PubMed, Embase, and Medline databases with the following terms: 'pediatric' AND 'giant' AND 'intracranial aneurysm.' Studies were included if data on treatment modality and aneurysm location were available for pediatric patients with giant intracranial aneurysms. The literature search yielded a total of 188 papers, with 82 pediatric patients from 33 articles ultimately meeting inclusion criteria. There were significantly more male than female patients (p = 0.011), with 52 and 29 respectively. Patients presenting with a ruptured aneurysm were significantly younger than patients presenting without rupture (p = 0.018), with a median age of 8.0 and 12.0 years, respectively. There were 45 giant aneurysms reported in the anterior circulation and 37 in the posterior circulation. Anterior aneurysms were most often treated with surgical approaches, while posterior aneurysms were typically treated with endovascular interventions (p = 0.002). Although combined surgical and endovascular approaches were the least frequently utilized, we suggest a combined approach may be particularly useful for patients with complex cases that require a management plan tailored to their needs.

The SMART Registry: Long-Term Results on the Utility of the Penumbra SMART COIL System for Treatment of Intracranial Aneurysms and Other Malformations.

Introduction: Penumbra SMART COIL® (SMART) System is a novel generation embolic coil with varying stiffness. The study purpose was to report real-world usage of the SMART System in patients with intracranial aneurysms (ICA) and non-aneurysm vascular lesions. Materials and Methods: The SMART Registry is a post-market, prospective, multicenter registry requiring ≥75% Penumbra Coils, including SMART, PC400, and/or POD coils. The primary efficacy endpoint was retreatment rate at 1-year and the primary safety endpoint was the procedural device-related serious adverse event rate. Results: Between June 2016 and August 2018, 995 patients (mean age 59.6 years, 72.1% female) were enrolled at 68 sites in the U.S. and Canada. Target lesions were intracranial aneurysms in 91.0% of patients; 63.5% were wide-neck and 31.8% were ruptured. Adjunctive devices were used in 55.2% of patients. Mean packing density was 32.3%. Procedural device-related serious adverse events occurred in 2.6% of patients. The rate of immediate post-procedure adequate occlusion was 97.1% in aneurysms and the rate of complete occlusion was 85.2% in non-aneurysms. At 1-year, the retreatment rate was 6.8%, Raymond Roy Occlusion Classification (RROC) I or II was 90.0% for aneurysms, and Modified Rankin Scale (mRS) 0-2 was achieved in 83.1% of all patients. Predictors of 1-year for RROC III or retreatment (incomplete occlusion) were rupture status (P < 0.0001), balloon-assisted coiling (P = 0.0354), aneurysm size (P = 0.0071), and RROC III immediate post-procedure (P = 0.0086) in a model that also included bifurcation aneurysm (P = 0.7788). Predictors of aneurysm retreatment at 1-year was rupture status (P < 0.0001). Conclusions: Lesions treated with SMART System coils achieved low long-term retreatment rates. Clinical Trial Registration: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/, identifier NCT02729740.

Flat-Detector CT to Quantify Response to Intra-Arterial Spasmolytic Therapy for Cerebral Vasospasm.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Cerebral vasospasm in the setting of subarachnoid hemorrhage causes morbidity and mortality due to delayed cerebral ischemia and permanent neurological deficits. Vasospasm treatment includes intra-arterial injection of a spasmolytic during cerebral angiography. To evaluate effectiveness, neurointerventionalists subjectively examine a posttreatment cerebral angiogram to determine change in vessel diameter or increase in microvascular perfusion. Flat-detector computed tomography (FDCT) scanner has the ability to quantitatively measure cerebral blood volume (CBV) within the parenchyma and detect a quantitative change following treatment. METHODS: This is a prospective study at a single institution between October 5, 2017 and June 3, 2019 that examines CBV studies from the Artis Q biplane (Siemens). Regions of interest were made in various territories to measure the CBV within the parenchyma before and after treatment with the spasmolytic verapamil. All instances of vasospasm involved vasculature within the left middle cerebral artery or internal carotid artery. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to determine significance before and after treatment. RESULTS: Our cohort consists of 6 patients who underwent Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA) and FDCT scans for cerebral vasospasm within the left hemisphere. After intra-arterial injection of 20 mg of verapamil, average increases in blood volume were 59%, 22%, and 24% for the temporal, frontal, and parietal lobes, respectively. P-values associated were .03. We also observed decrease in the mean arterial blood pressure and transcranial Doppler values after treatment. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, FDCT could measure the effectiveness of a change in CBV from infusion of verapamil in the setting of cerebral vasospasm. The authors believe quantifying the change allows for reassurance of improvement of cerebral vasospasm.

Embolization and Open Decompression of a Giant Aneurysm Involving the P2 Segment of the Posterior Cerebral Artery.

A 5-year-old girl was brought to the clinic because of chronic intermittent left-sided headaches. The patient underwent computed tomographic angiography, which demonstrated a giant aneurysm that involved the P2 segment of the left posterior cerebral artery. Before treatment proceeded, consent was obtained from the patient's legal guardian. A trapping-evacuation technique was used for proximal control and decompression so that a clip could be placed on the proximal inflow artery of the aneurysm. First, embolization was performed for aneurysm trapping and for sacrifice of the parent vessel. Two days later, the patient was taken to the operating room for open surgical decompression, clipping, and reconstruction. Heparin was administered during the embolization stage of the operation. The patient did well postoperatively and was discharged home. The 3-month follow-up evaluation demonstrated a right superior homonymous quadrantanopia and no other neurologic deficits. The patient's clinical course is summarized in Video 1.

Thermomechanical data of polyurethane shape memory polymer: Considering varying compositions.

This article presents data from the investigation of the thermal characteristics and mechanical behaviors of twelve different compositions of a polyurethane shape memory polymer (SMP). Each of the SMP compositions has a unique molar ratio of three monomers: (i) hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI), (ii) N,N,N',N'-Tetrakis(2-Hydroxypropyl)ethylenediamine (HPED), and (iii) Triethanolamine (TEA). The thermal characteristic datasets for each composition include the glass transition temperatures, as obtained from differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and the thermal degradation thresholds, as found from thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The mechanical behaviors of the SMPs are represented by the failure stresses and strains, as obtained by cyclic tensile testing and failure testing, respectively. The interpretation of these measurements as well as a discussion of the potential usage of candidate SMP compositions for medical devices can be found in the companion article by Kunkel et al. (2018) [1], "Synthesis and characterization of bio-compatible shape memory polymers with potential applications to endovascular embolization of intracranial aneurysms."