Clinical and radiological features of parasagittal dural arteriovenous fistulas: a report of 8 cases from a single institution.

OBJECTIVE: Dural arteriovenous fistulas (dAVFs) of the superior sagittal sinus (SSS) are uncommon and represent 5%-12% of all intracranial dAVFs. SSS dAVFs can be divided into two main subtypes. The first type involves direct arterialization of the SSS, whereas the second type consists of a parasagittal arteriovenous shunt draining into a cortical vein directly lateral to the SSS and has retrograde cortical venous drainage with only secondary involvement of the SSS. Descriptions of the latter type of SSS dAVF are limited. As such, the authors present a consecutive case series of parasagittal SSS dAVFs from their institution. They detail clinical presentation, treatment strategies, and clinical and radiographic outcomes. METHODS: The authors retrospectively reviewed a prospectively collected database of dAVFs that were treated between 2017 and 2023. All dAVFs characterized by an arterialized parasagittal vein directly lateral to the SSS were included in this study. Baseline demographic, clinical, radiological, treatment, and outcome-specific variables of interest were abstracted. RESULTS: One hundred fifty-four dAVFs were seen at the authors' institution over the 6-year period of interest. Eight (5.2%) were parasagittal dAVFs. At initial diagnostic imaging, 7 were Cognard grade III and 1 was grade IV. All patients initially underwent embolization of their dAVF. Three patients did not have complete obliteration of their dAVF after the first embolization. One patient underwent further treatment with repeat embolization, and 1 underwent microsurgical disconnection-both resulted in complete occlusion of the dAVF. Seven dAVFs were obliterated at final follow-up and 1 remained patent as the patient refused further treatment despite angiographic progression of dAVF. All symptomatic patients had resolution of their symptoms, and the average length of follow-up was 16.8 months. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment of parasagittal dAVFs consists of occluding the proximal portion of the parasagittal arterialized draining vein. Endovascular therapy with liquid embolic agents is usually the first line of treatment. Surgical ligation is a valid option if the fistula cannot be successfully obliterated with embolization. Symptoms related to the SSS dAVF resolve after their obliteration.

WEB (Woven EndoBridge) device for intracranial aneurysm treatment: technical, radiological, and clinical findings in a consecutive North American cohort.

BACKGROUND: Utilization of Woven EndoBridge (WEB) for treatment of intracranial aneurysms has increased due to increasing operator experience. We aimed to report our contemporary series of a North American center with the WEB, examining factors associated with occlusion rates. METHOD: Consecutive patients (2019-2022) with intracranial aneurysms treated with WEB device were included. Through a univariate and multivariate analysis, independent predictors of adequate occlusion (RR1/RR2) were examined. Procedural and clinical results were reported. RESULTS: A total of 104 consecutive aneurysms/patients (25 men/79 women; median age, 63 years, IQR: 55-71) were treated with single-layer WEB-SL in our institution. Seventeen patients (16%) had a ruptured aneurysm. The median aneurysm dome size was 5.5 mm (IQR = 4.5-6.5), and the most common locations were AcomA (36/104 = 34.6%), MCA bifurcation (29/104 = 27.9%), and BT (22/104 = 21.2%). The rate of technical failure was 0.9%. The median intervention time was 32 min (IQR = 25-43). Overall, 8 (7.6%) cases needed additional interventions: 4 (3.8%) additional stenting, 3 cases (3.8%) of intravenous tirofiban infusion (because of the excessive WEB protrusion), and one case (0.9%) of additional coiling (need to complete the neck occlusion). At 12-month follow-up, 67 patients were available showing 59/67 (88%) and 6/67 (9%) of complete occlusion and neck remnant, respectively on dual-energy CTA. There were no cases necessitating retreatment. Ruptured presentation (OR = 0.09, 95% CI = 0.008-0.9, p = .024), undersized WEB (OR = 15, 95% CI = 1.2-50, p = .006), WEB shape change (OR = 0.07, 95% CI = 0.001-0.6, p = .05), aneurysm neck diameter (OR = 0.4, 95% CI = 0.2-0.9, p = .05), and angle between the parent artery and the aneurysm dome (OR = 0.2, 95% CI = 0.01-0.8, p = .008) were significantly associated with occlusion status (RR1-2) at follow-up. However, in the multivariate logistic regression, these factors did not reach the statistical significance. The overall rate of morbidity was 0.9%. CONCLUSIONS: Our contemporary North American experience on consecutive intracranial aneurysms treated with WEB confirms the medium-term efficacy of this strategy, with low procedural time and morbidity. Further research is needed to demonstrate long-term occlusion rates.

Long-term outcomes following pipeline embolization of unruptured aneurysms.

BACKGROUND: Flow diversion using the pipeline embolization device (PED) for unruptured aneurysms is associated with high occlusion and low morbidity and mortality. However, most reports have limited follow-up of 1-2 years. Therefore, we sought to report our outcomes after PED for unruptured aneurysms in patients with at least 5-years of follow-up. METHODS: Review of patients undergoing PED for unruptured aneurysms from 2009 to 2016. RESULTS: Overall, 135 patients with 138 aneurysms were included for analysis. Seventy-eight percent of aneurysms (n=107) over a median radiographic follow-up of 5.0 years underwent complete occlusion. Among aneurysms with at least 5-years of radiographic follow-up (n=71), 79% (n=56) achieved complete obliteration. No aneurysm recanalized after radiographic obliteration. Furthermore, over a median clinical follow-up period of 4.9 years, 84% of patients (n=115) self-reported mRS scores between 0 and 2. For patients with at least 5-years of clinical follow-up, 88% (n=61) reported mRS between 0 and 2. In total, 3% (n=4) of patients experienced a major, non-fatal neurologic complication related to the PED, 5% (n=7) of patients experienced a minor neurologic complication related to PED placement, and 2% (n=3) died from either delayed aneurysm rupture, delayed ipsilateral hemorrhage after PED placement, or delayed (9 months after treatment) neural compression after progressive thrombosis of a PED-treated dolichoectactic vertebrobasilar aneurysm. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment of unruptured aneurysms with the PED is associated with high rates of long-term angiographic occlusion and low, albeit clinically important, rates of major neurologic morbidity and mortality. Thus, flow diversion via PED placement is safe, effective, and durable.

Histological composition of retrieved emboli in acute ischemic stroke is independent of pre-thrombectomy alteplase use.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Given recent evidence suggesting the clot composition may be associated with revascularization outcomes and stroke etiology, clot composition research has been a topic of growing interest. It is currently unclear what effect, if any, pre-thrombectomy thrombolysis has on clot composition. Understanding this association is important as it is a potential confounding variable in clot composition research. We retrospectively evaluated the composition of retrieved clots from ischemic stroke patients who did and did not receive pre-treatment tPA to study the effect of tPA on clot composition. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Consecutive patients enrolled in the Stroke Thromboembolism Registry of Imaging and Pathology (STRIP) were included in this study. All patients underwent mechanical thrombectomy and retrieved clots were sent to a central core lab for processing. Histological analysis was performed using Martius Scarlett Blue (MSB) staining and area of the clot was also measured on the gross photos. Student's t test was used for continuous variables and chi-squared test for categorical variables. RESULTS: A total of 1430 patients were included in this study. Mean age was 68.4±13.5 years. Overall rate of TICI 2c/3 was 67%. A total of 517 patients received tPA (36%) and 913 patients did not (64%). Mean RBC density for the tPA group was 42.97±22.62% compared to 42.80±23.18% for the non-tPA group (P=0.89). Mean WBC density for the tPA group was 3.74±2.60% compared to 3.42±2.21% for the non-tPA group (P=0.012). Mean fibrin density for the tPA group was 26.52±15.81% compared to 26.53±15.34% for the non-tPA group (P=0.98). Mean platelet density for the tPA group was 26.22±18.60% compared to 26.55±19.47% for the non-tPA group (P=0.75). tPA group also had significantly smaller clot area compared to non-tPA group. CONCLUSIONS: Our study 1430 retrieved emboli and ischemic stroke patients shows no interaction between tPA administration and clot composition. These findings suggest that tPA does not result in any histological changes in clot composition.

Long-term clinical and mid-term radiographic follow-up of pure arterial malformations.

BACKGROUND: Pure arterial malformations (PAMs) are rare vascular lesions characterized by dilated, tortuous arterial loops without venous shunting. The natural history of PAMs remains unclear. We report the mid-term radiological and longer-term clinical outcomes of the largest series of patients with PAM. METHODS: Retrospective review at a tertiary academic referral center for patients with a PAM. Follow-up clinical and radiological data were collected and analyzed for clinical symptoms and radiographic changes. RESULTS: Twenty-five patients met the inclusion criteria. The mean age at presentation was 30.9 ± 14 years. Nineteen (76%) patients were female, and six (23.1%) were male. Eleven (44%) patients had ≥1 symptom at presentation, of which only 3 (12%) could be linked to PAM. The most common symptom was headache (n=8). PAMs involved a single vessel in 16 (64%) cases and ≥2 vessels in 9 cases (36%). Fifteen (60%) lesions were isolated to the anterior circulation compared to 6 (24%) in the posterior circulation. The most frequently involved vessel was the supraclinoid internal cerebral artery (36%). An associated saccular aneurysm was present in 32% of patients. Ten lesions were partially calcified. The mean radiographic and clinical follow-up was 21.9 ± 26.5 months and 44.6 ± 34.8 months, respectively. None of the patients developed new symptoms related to their lesion or radiographic progression over the duration of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: PAMs are found most frequently in young, asymptomatic females. PAMs have a benign natural history and are best managed conservatively with serial imaging.

Beyond plaque: A pictorial review of non-atherosclerotic abnormalities of extracranial carotid arteries.

The common carotid artery (CCA) and extracranial internal carotid artery are subject to a wide variety of non-atheromatous pathologies. These entities are often overshadowed in both research and clinical realms by atherosclerotic disease. Nevertheless, non-atherosclerotic disease of the carotid arteries may have profound, even devastating, neurologic consequences. Hence, this review will cover both common and uncommon forms of extracranial carotid artery pathologies in a pictorial format, in order to aid the diagnostician in identifying and differentiating such pathologies.

Transarterial embolization of an internal maxillary artery arteriovenous fistula presenting with pulsatile tinnitus.

Arteriovenous fistulae of the internal maxillary artery are exceedingly rare, with less than 30 cases reported in the literature. Most of these lesions are congenital, iatrogenic, or posttraumatic. The most common presentation of internal maxillary artery fistulae is pulsatile tinnitus and headache. Because these lesions are single-hole fistulae, they can be easily cured with endovascular techniques. The authors present a case of a patient who presented to their institution with a several-year history of pulsatile tinnitus who was found to have an internal maxillary artery arteriovenous fistula, which was treated endovascularly with transarterial coil and Onyx embolization.The video can be found here: https://youtu.be/fDZVMMwpwRc.

Natural History of Vertebrobasilar Dolichoectatic and Fusiform Aneurysms: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Vertebrobasilar non-saccular and dolichoectatic aneurysms (VBDA) are a rare type of aneurysm and are generally associated with poor prognosis. In order to better characterize the natural history of VBDAs, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature to determine rates of mortality, growth, rupture, ischemia, and intraparenchymal hemorrhage. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We searched the literature for longitudinal natural history studies of VBDA patients reporting clinical and imaging outcomes. Studied outcomes included annualized rates of growth, rupture, ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), and mortality. We also studied the association between aneurysm morphology (dolichoectatic versus fusiform) and natural history. Meta-analysis was performed using a random-effects model using summary statistics from included studies. RESULTS: Fifteen studies with 827 patients and 5,093 patient-years were included. The overall annual mortality rate among patients with VBDAs was 13%/year (95% CI 8-19). Patients with fusiform aneurysms had a higher mortality rate than those with dolichoectatic aneurysms, but this did not reach statistical significance (12 vs. 8%, p = 0.11). The overall growth rate was 6%/year (95% CI 4-13). Patients with fusiform aneurysms had higher growth rates than those with dolichoectatic aneurysms (12 vs. 3%, p < 0.0001). The overall rupture rate was 3%/year (95% CI 1-5). Patients with fusiform aneurysms had higher rupture rates than those with dolichoectatic aneurysms (3 vs. 0%, p < 0.0001). The overall rate of ischemic stroke was 6%/year (95% CI 4-9). Patients with dolichoectatic aneurysms had higher ischemic stroke rates than those with fusiform aneurysms, but this did not reach statistical significance (8 vs. 4%, p = 0.13). The overall rate of ICH was 2%/year (95% CI 0-8) with no difference in rates between dolichoectatic and fusiform aneurysms (2 vs. 2%, p = 0.65). CONCLUSION: In general, the natural history of -VBDAs is poor. However, dolichoectatic and fusiform -VBDAs appear to have distinct natural histories with substantially higher growth and rupture associated with fusiform aneurysms. These findings suggest that these aneurysms should be considered separate entities. Further studies on the natural history of vertebrobasilar dolichoectatic and fusiform aneurysms with more complete follow-up are needed to better understand the risk factors for progression of these aneurysms.

Anesthesia-Related Outcomes for Endovascular Stroke Revascularization: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: There is currently controversy on the ideal anesthesia strategy during mechanical thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies comparing clinical and angiographic outcomes of patients undergoing general anesthesia (GA group) and those receiving either local anesthesia or conscious sedation (non-GA group). METHODS: A literature search on anesthesia and endovascular treatment of acute ischemic stroke was performed. Using random-effects meta-analysis, we evaluated the following outcomes: recanalization rate, good functional outcome at 90 days (modified Rankin Score≤2), symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage, death, vascular complications, respiratory complications, procedure time, and time to groin puncture. RESULTS: Twenty-two studies (3 randomized controlled trials and 19 observational studies), including 4716 patients (1819 GA and 2897 non-GA) were included. In the nonadjusted analysis, patients in the GA group had higher odds of death (odds ratio [OR], 2.02; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.66-2.45) and respiratory complications (OR, 1.70; 95% CI, 1.22-2.37) and lower odds of good functional outcome (OR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.48-0.64) compared with the non-GA group. There was no difference in procedure time between the 2 primary comparison groups. When adjusting for baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, GA was still associated with lower odds of good functional outcome (OR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.29-0.94). When considering studies performed in the stent-retriever/aspiration era, there was no significant difference in good neurological outcome rates (OR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.67-1.06). CONCLUSIONS: Acute ischemic stroke patients undergoing intra-arterial therapy may have worse outcomes when treated with GA as compared with conscious sedation/local anesthesia. However, major limitations of current evidence (ie, retrospective studies and selection bias) indicate a need for adequately powered, multicenter randomized controlled trials to answer this question.

Endovascular treatment of carotid blowout syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Carotid blowout syndrome (CBS) is a life-threatening complication of head and neck cancer and radiation therapy. Endovascular techniques have emerged as preferable alternatives to surgical ligation for treatment of CBS. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to study periprocedural complications and outcomes of CBS patients treated with coil embolization and covered stents. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search identified studies that reported outcomes of endovascular treatment of CBS published from 2000 to April 2016. Outcomes included technical success, postoperative rebleeding, survival time, and perioperative complications. Meta-analyses were performed using a random-effects model. RESULTS: Twenty-five noncomparative studies with 559 patients were included in the meta-analysis. Technical success rate was 100% in both coiling and covered stenting groups. Median survival time was 3 months (range, 0-96 months) for all CBS patients. Overall perioperative mortality was 11% (95% confidence interval [CI], 5%-17%). Postoperative rebleeding rate was 27% (95% CI, 19%-367%). Perioperative stroke and infection rates were 3% (95% CI, 1%-6%) and 1% (95% CI, 0%-5%), respectively. At last follow-up, 39% of patients were alive (95% CI, 29%-48%). CONCLUSIONS: Coil embolization and stent grafts may both be safe treatment options for CBS with few perioperative complications and high rates of technical success, but prognosis after treatment remains poor. In general, noncomparative studies do not demonstrate differences between the two techniques with respect to periprocedural complications and patient outcomes.

Delayed hemorrhagic complications after flow diversion for intracranial aneurysms: a literature overview.

INTRODUCTION: Delayed aneurysm rupture and delayed intraparenchymal hemorrhages (DIPH) are poorly understood and often fatal complications of flow diversion (FD) for intracranial aneurysms. The purpose of this study was to identify risk factors for these complications. METHODS: We performed a systematic review on post-FD delayed aneurysm rupture and DIPH. For each reported case, we collected the following information: aneurysm location, size and rupture status, type of flow diverter used, timing of the hemorrhage, and neurological outcome. We reported descriptive statistics of patients suffering DIPH and delayed aneurysm rupture to determine if there were any characteristics consistently present among patients with these complications. RESULTS: We identified 81 delayed aneurysm ruptures and 101 DIPH. Of the delayed ruptures, 76.6% (45/58) occurred within 1 month. The prognosis of delayed ruptures was poor, with 81.3% (61/75) experiencing death or poor neurological outcome. Giant aneurysms accounted for 46.3% of ruptures (31/67). Of these aneurysms, 80.9% (55/68) were initially unruptured. Of the delayed ruptured aneurysms, 17.8% (13/73) had prior or concomitant coiling. DIPHs were ipsilateral to the treated aneurysm in 82.2% (60/73) of cases. Of the DIPH, 86.0% (43/50) occurred within 1 month after FDS. Combined morbidity/mortality rate was 68.5% (50/73) following DIPH. Of DIPHs, 23.0% (14/61) occurred in patients with giant aneurysms. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates that giant aneurysms represent almost 50% of delayed aneurysm ruptures in the flow diverter literature. About 2% of delayed ruptures occurred despite associated coiling. A substantial proportion of DIPHs occur early following FDS treatment of giant aneurysms.

Unruptured internal carotid artery bifurcation aneurysms: general features and overall results after modern treatment.

BACKGROUND: Internal carotid artery bifurcation aneurysms (ICAbifAs) present unique challenges to endovascular and surgical operators, and little is known about their natural history. We reviewed our institution's experience with ICAbifAs studying outcomes of surgical and endovascular management and natural history. METHODS: Consecutive patients with unruptured ICAbifAs evaluated and/or treated over an 8-year interval were studied. Baseline demographics, neurovascular risk factors, aneurysm location and size, clinical presentation, treatment recommendations, and outcomes were prospectively collected and retrospectively analyzed. Continuous variables were compared with Student's t test and categorical variables with Chi-square tests. RESULTS: Fifty-nine patients with 61 unruptured ICAbifAs were included. Seven aneurysms were treated surgically (11.5 %), 22 underwent endovascular treatment (36 %), and 32 were managed conservatively (52.5 %). In the surgical group, short- and long-term complete aneurysm occlusion rates were 100 % with no cases of perioperative or long-term permanent morbidity or treatment-related mortality. In the endovascular group, two patients (11.7 %) with giant aneurysms had perioperative thromboembolic events with transient morbidity. There was one case of aneurysm rupture at follow-up in a giant aneurysm treated with partial coil embolization. Complete/near-complete occlusion rates were 63 %. There was one case of aneurysm rupture after 114 aneurysm-years of follow-up in the conservative management group (0.89 %/year), but no ruptures were observed in small aneurysms selected for conservative management. CONCLUSIONS: Unruptured small ICAbifAs have a benign natural history. In patients selected for treatment, excellent results can be achieved in the vast majority of patients with judicious use of endovascular and surgical therapy.

Aggressive medical treatment with or without stenting in high-risk patients with intracranial artery stenosis (SAMMPRIS): the final results of a randomised trial.

BACKGROUND: Early results of the Stenting and Aggressive Medical Management for Preventing Recurrent stroke in Intracranial Stenosis trial showed that, by 30 days, 33 (14·7%) of 224 patients in the stenting group and 13 (5·8%) of 227 patients in the medical group had died or had a stroke (percentages are product limit estimates), but provided insufficient data to establish whether stenting offered any longer-term benefit. Here we report the long-term outcome of patients in this trial. METHODS: We randomly assigned (1:1, stratified by centre with randomly permuted block sizes) 451 patients with recent transient ischaemic attack or stroke related to 70-99% stenosis of a major intracranial artery to aggressive medical management (antiplatelet therapy, intensive management of vascular risk factors, and a lifestyle-modification programme) or aggressive medical management plus stenting with the Wingspan stent. The primary endpoint was any of the following: stroke or death within 30 days after enrolment, ischaemic stroke in the territory of the qualifying artery beyond 30 days of enrolment, or stroke or death within 30 days after a revascularisation procedure of the qualifying lesion during follow-up. Primary endpoint analysis of between-group differences with log-rank test was by intention to treat. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT 00576693. FINDINGS: During a median follow-up of 32·4 months, 34 (15%) of 227 patients in the medical group and 52 (23%) of 224 patients in the stenting group had a primary endpoint event. The cumulative probability of the primary endpoints was smaller in the medical group versus the percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting (PTAS) group (p=0·0252). Beyond 30 days, 21 (10%) of 210 patients in the medical group and 19 (10%) of 191 patients in the stenting group had a primary endpoint. The absolute differences in the primary endpoint rates between the two groups were 7·1% at year 1 (95% CI 0·2 to 13·8%; p=0·0428), 6·5% at year 2 (-0·5 to 13·5%; p=0·07) and 9·0% at year 3 (1·5 to 16·5%; p=0·0193). The occurrence of the following adverse events was higher in the PTAS group than in the medical group: any stroke (59 [26%] of 224 patients vs 42 [19%] of 227 patients; p=0·0468) and major haemorrhage (29 [13%]of 224 patients vs 10 [4%] of 227 patients; p=0·0009). INTERPRETATION: The early benefit of aggressive medical management over stenting with the Wingspan stent for high-risk patients with intracranial stenosis persists over extended follow-up. Our findings lend support to the use of aggressive medical management rather than PTAS with the Wingspan system in high-risk patients with atherosclerotic intracranial arterial stenosis. FUNDING: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and others.

Neuroimaging Findings in Cardiac Myxoma Patients: A Single-Center Case Series of 47 Patients.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Cardiac myxomas can present with a myriad of neurological complications including stroke, cerebral aneurysm formation and metastatic disease. Our study had two objectives: (1) to describe the neuroimaging findings of patients with cardiac myxomas and (2) to examine the relationship between a history of embolic complications secondary to myxoma and intracranial aneurysm formation, hemorrhage and metastatic disease. We hypothesized that patients who present with embolic complications related to myxoma would be more likely to have such complications. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We searched our institutional database for all patients with pathologically proven cardiac myxomas from 1995 to 2014 who received neuroimaging. Neuroimaging findings were categorized as acute ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, oncotic aneurysm, and cerebral metastasis. Cardiac myxoma patients were divided into those presenting with embolic complications (i.e. lower extremity emboli or cerebral emboli) and those presenting with non-embolic complications prior to surgical resection of the myxoma. The prevalence of intracranial hemorrhage, myxomatous aneurysm formation, and cerebral metastases was compared in myxoma patients presenting with and without embolic complications using a Chi-squared test. RESULTS: Forty-seven consecutive patients were included in this study. Sixteen patients (34.0%) had imaging evidence of acute ischemic stroke. Of these, 13 had acute ischemic strokes directly attributed to the cardiac myxoma (27.7%) and 3 had acute ischemic strokes secondary to causes other than myxoma (6.4%). Seven patients (14.9%) had aneurysms. Two patients (4.3%) had parenchymal metastatic disease on long-term imaging. Fourteen patients (29.8%) presented with ischemic symptoms that were attributed to cardiac myxoma (1 with lower extremity ischemia, 1 with lower extremity ischemia and ischemic stroke, and 12 with ischemic stroke). Patients presenting with embolic complications related to the myxoma (ischemic stroke or lower extremity ischemia) were more likely to have imaging evidence of intracranial hemorrhage (21.4 vs. 3.0%, p = 0.09), oncotic aneurysm (35.7 vs. 6.1%, p = 0.03), and cerebral metastasis (14.3 vs. 0.0%, p = 0.07) on follow-up imaging. CONCLUSIONS: Ischemic stroke and intracranial oncotic aneurysm were found in a substantial proportion of cardiac myxoma patients undergoing neuroimaging. Patients presenting with embolic complications of cardiac myxoma are more likely to have intracranial hemorrhage, intracranial oncotic aneurysms, and cerebral metastatic disease.

A national analysis of the complications, cost, and mortality of percutaneous lung ablation.

PURPOSE: To perform a national analysis of the safety and cost of percutaneous image-guided lung malignancy ablation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using the National (Nationwide) Inpatient Sample, we evaluated complications, need for further intervention, in-hospital mortality, length of hospitalization, and hospital charges for patients undergoing inpatient percutaneous image-guided lung ablation in the United States during the period 2007-2011. Additionally, an analysis of the relationship between specific patient factors, procedural complications, and mortality was performed. RESULTS: The study group consisted of 3,344 patients, including 2,072 (61.9%) patients treated for primary lung carcinomas and 1,277 (38.1%) patients treated for pulmonary metastatic disease. In-hospital mortality occurred after 43 (1.3%) ablation procedures. A Charlson comorbidity index score ≥ 4 was associated with higher mortality (odds ratio [OR], 2.84; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.16-6.91). Pneumothorax was the most common complication (38.4%), followed by pneumonia (5.7%) and effusion (4.0%). Neither pneumothorax nor chest tube insertion was associated with higher in-hospital mortality rates (pneumothorax, OR, 1.10; 95% CI, 0.59-2.04, and chest tube insertion, OR, 1.45; 95% CI, 0.78-2.68). Surgical reintervention via thoracoscopy or thoracotomy occurred in 31 cases (0.9%). Median length of hospitalization was 1 day (interquartile range, 1-3 d), and median hospital charges were $22,320 (interquartile range, $13,705-$43,026). CONCLUSIONS: Percutaneous image-guided lung ablation of primary and metastatic disease has an acceptable safety profile, and surgical reintervention is rarely required. The most frequent complications of percutaneous lung ablation were not associated with increased in-hospital mortality.

Evaluation of the charges, safety, and mortality of percutaneous renal thermal ablation using the nationwide inpatient sample.

PURPOSE: To perform a national analysis of safety, charges, complications, and mortality of percutaneous image-guided renal thermal ablation and compare outcomes by hospital volume. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, trends in the proportion of inpatient percutaneous renal thermal ablation procedures performed at high-volume centers in the United States from 2007-2011 were evaluated. In-hospital mortality, discharge to long-term care facility, length of stay, hospitalization charges, and postoperative complications were compared between high-volume and low-volume ablation centers. High volume was set at the 90th percentile for renal thermal ablation volume, which equated to seven or more patients per year. A multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusting for hospital volume, age, sex, Charlson Comorbidity Index, obesity, race, and insurance status was performed to analyze the influence of hospital volume on the above-listed outcomes. RESULTS: This study included 874 patients. The number of hospitals ranged from 59-77 depending on year. Overall, 328 patients (37.5%) were treated at high-volume ablation centers. The proportion of patients treated at high-volume centers decreased from 42.0% in 2007-2009 to 28.5% in 2010-2011. High-volume hospitals also performed significantly more partial nephrectomies than low-volume hospitals. On multivariate logistic regression analysis, increasing hospital volume was associated with lower odds of in-hospital mortality (odds ratio [OR] = 0.31, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.02-0.95) and lower odds of discharge to a long-term care facility (OR = 0.00, 95% CI = 0.00-0.66). Increasing hospital volume was also associated with lower odds of blood transfusion (OR = 0.84, 95% CI = 0.72-0.94). Length of stay decreased with increasing hospital volume (P = .03). CONCLUSIONS: Patient safety may be maximized when renal ablation is performed at high-volume centers as a result of both greater procedural experience and potentially multidisciplinary triage and periprocedural management.

Rising utilization of CT in adult fall patients.

OBJECTIVE. Falls are a common cause of emergency department (ED) visits in the United States. We evaluated trends in CT utilization for adult fall patients in the United States from 2001 to 2010. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Using the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, we identified all visits from 2001 to 2010 of adult patients presenting to EDs after falls. This database surveys approximately 500 EDs annually for 4 weeks, providing national estimates on ED resource utilization and outcomes. We studied trends in CT utilization and proportion of visits with life-threatening conditions (intracranial hemorrhage, organ laceration, axial skeletal fractures) after falls. We also studied the association between CT utilization rates and demographic characteristics and admission status. RESULTS. A total of 22,166 unweighted observations representing 73,241,368 visits were identified. The proportion of adult fall patient visits during which CT was performed increased from 11.4% in 2001 to 28.0% in 2010 (p < 0.0001), whereas the proportion of adult fall visits with life-threatening conditions increased from 5.7% to 8.2% (p < 0.0001). On adjusted analysis (adjusting for life-threatening condition and demographic variables), each successive year was independently associated with CT utilization (odds ratio, 1.21 [95% CI, 1.21-1.21]). The odds of CT utilization in 2010 compared with 2001 were 2.62 (95% CI, 2.61-2.62). CONCLUSION. There was a 2.5-fold increase in CT utilization among adult fall patient visits from 2001 to 2010. When demographic and clinical variables were controlled for, increasing year was independently associated with CT utilization. These findings suggest that CT may be overutilized among adult fall patients.

Effect of CREST Findings on Carotid Revascularization Practice in the United States.

BACKGROUND: We sought to measure the impact of the Carotid Revascularization Endarterectomy versus Stenting Trial (CREST) findings on clinical practice by studying trends in carotid artery stenting (CAS) and carotid endarterectomy (CEA) utilization before and after publication of CREST in a large US multihospital database. METHODS: The Premier Perspective Database was used to identify inpatient CEA and CAS procedures performed from January 2006 to March 2013. Patients were subclassified by age (<70/≥70 years) and presentation (symptomatic/asymptomatic). CEA and CAS volumes were compared before and after the publication of CREST (July 2010) using an interrupted time series model. RESULTS: A total of 121,157 CEA and 18,503 CAS procedures performed at 445 medical centers were identified. There was no significant change observed in the overall number of CEA procedures performed after CREST publication relative to the pre-existing trend (P = .08); however, there was a significant increase in the overall number of CAS procedures performed (delta of 40 cases, P = .0179) in patients aged younger than 70 years (delta of 24 cases, P = .0008), 70 years or older (delta of 25 cases, P = .0047), and asymptomatic patients (delta of 39 cases, P = .0159). The overall percentage of CEA procedures performed in relation to all revascularization procedures was significantly lower after CREST publication overall (delta, -1.5%; P = .041) for patients aged younger than 70 years (delta, -2.4%; P < .0001) and asymptomatic patients (delta, -1.5%; P = .035). CONCLUSIONS: In this large sample of US hospitals, performance of CAS significantly increased after the publication of the CREST study.

Comparative effectiveness of carotid revascularization therapies: evidence from a National Hospital Discharge Database.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Clinical equipoise of carotid revascularization therapies remains controversial. We sought to determine whether adverse outcomes after carotid endarterectomy (CEA) or carotid angioplasty and stenting (CAS) were similar using propensity score-matched analysis of retrospective data from a large hospital discharge database. METHODS: All CEA and CAS cases were identified from the 2006 to 2011 Premier Perspective Database and subjected to 1:1 propensity score matching using 33 clinical covariates associated with carotid revascularization. A primary composite end point of peri- or postoperative mortality, stroke, or acute myocardial infarction and a modified composite end point excluding acute myocardial infarction were used to compare our findings with recent prospective controlled trials. Multivariate regression and Cox-proportional hazard ratio survival analysis were performed to compare revascularization therapy outcomes. RESULTS: After 1:1 propensity score matching, 24 004 (12 002 CEA and CAS) asymptomatic and 3506 (1753 CEA and CAS) symptomatic procedures were included. The risk of the primary composite end point was significantly higher after CAS than CEA in both asymptomatic (odds ratio, 1.40 [1.19-1.65]; P<0.0001) and symptomatic (odds ratio=2.31 [1.78-3.00]; P<0.0001) presentations, irrespective of age (P=0.28) or sex (P=0.35). Similar findings were observed using the modified composite end point for both asymptomatic (odds ratio, 1.49 [1.25-1.78]; P<0.0001) and symptomatic (odds ratio, 3.02 [2.25-4.07]; P<0.0001) presentations. Acute myocardial infarction risk was not significantly different between revascularization therapies, regardless of clinical presentation (P=0.71 and 0.24). CONCLUSIONS: Among individuals undergoing carotid artery revascularization from a large sample of US hospitals, CAS was associated with higher risk of perioperative mortality, stroke, and unfavorable discharges compared with CEA for all ages and clinical presentations.

Stenting versus aggressive medical therapy for intracranial arterial stenosis.

BACKGROUND: Atherosclerotic intracranial arterial stenosis is an important cause of stroke that is increasingly being treated with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting (PTAS) to prevent recurrent stroke. However, PTAS has not been compared with medical management in a randomized trial. METHODS: We randomly assigned patients who had a recent transient ischemic attack or stroke attributed to stenosis of 70 to 99% of the diameter of a major intracranial artery to aggressive medical management alone or aggressive medical management plus PTAS with the use of the Wingspan stent system. The primary end point was stroke or death within 30 days after enrollment or after a revascularization procedure for the qualifying lesion during the follow-up period or stroke in the territory of the qualifying artery beyond 30 days. RESULTS: Enrollment was stopped after 451 patients underwent randomization, because the 30-day rate of stroke or death was 14.7% in the PTAS group (nonfatal stroke, 12.5%; fatal stroke, 2.2%) and 5.8% in the medical-management group (nonfatal stroke, 5.3%; non-stroke-related death, 0.4%) (P=0.002). Beyond 30 days, stroke in the same territory occurred in 13 patients in each group. Currently, the mean duration of follow-up, which is ongoing, is 11.9 months. The probability of the occurrence of a primary end-point event over time differed significantly between the two treatment groups (P=0.009), with 1-year rates of the primary end point of 20.0% in the PTAS group and 12.2% in the medical-management group. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with intracranial arterial stenosis, aggressive medical management was superior to PTAS with the use of the Wingspan stent system, both because the risk of early stroke after PTAS was high and because the risk of stroke with aggressive medical therapy alone was lower than expected. (Funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and others; SAMMPRIS ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00576693.).