Ruptured anomalous hyperplastic anterior choroidal artery aneurysm: a case report.

A 48-year-old man hospitalized for subarachnoid hemorrhage harbored a ruptured aneurysm arising from an anomalous hyperplastic anterior choroidal artery. Endovascular treatment was performed and the aneurysm was successfully embolized with neck remnant. The anterior choroidal artery is a very important artery supplying critical brain structures in the treatment of intracranial vascular disease. Anomalous hyperplastic anterior choroidal artery is rare, so the embryological perspective is important for its recognition in surgical procedures.

A collision tumor of solitary fibrous tumor/hemangiopericytoma and meningioma: A case report with literature review.

An intracranial collision tumor is a rare lesion composed of two histologically different neoplasms in the same anatomic location. Even more rare is the collision tumor of a solitary fibrous tumor/hemangiopericytoma (SFT/HPC) and meningioma. The patient was a 46-year-old woman who had a 40 × 35 × 30-mm mass in the vermis of the cerebellum. Histologically, the mass consisted of two different components. One component showed the morphology of meningioma (World Health Organization (WHO) grade I), and the other component exhibited small round cell proliferation with hypercellular density, which was revealed to be SFT/HPC (WHO grade III) based on STAT6 immunohistochemistry. STAT6 showed completely different immunohistochemistry results in these two components (nuclear-negative in meningioma and nuclear-positive in SFT/HPC). Since these two neoplasms are associated with different prognoses, they should be distinguished from each other. When meningioma and an SFT/HPC-like lesion are identified morphologically, it is important to recognize the presence of such a collision tumor composed of meningioma and SFT/HPC, and identify the SFT/HPC component by employing STAT6 immunohistochemistry.

Persistent Primitive Hypoglossal Artery with Ipsilateral Symptomatic Carotid Artery Stenosis and Cerebral Aneurysm.

OBJECTIVE: Persistent primitive hypoglossal artery (PPHA) is a rare type of persistent carotid-basilar anastomosis sometimes associated with other vascular lesions. We treated an extremely rare case of PPHA with concomitant ipsilateral symptomatic cervical internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis and unruptured aneurysm. CASE PRESENTATION: A 67-year-old woman visited our institution with acute onset of diplopia. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed multiple acute infarctions in the right anterior and posterior circulations. Digital subtraction angiography demonstrated the right PPHA concomitant with ipsilateral cervical ICA stenosis and an unruptured ICA aneurysm with maximum diameter of 8 mm. The multiple infarctions were considered to result from artery-to-artery embolism due to microthrombi from the ICA plaque passed along the PPHA, so carotid endarterectomy was performed as the first step with preoperative modified Rankin Scale (mRS) grade 1. During the operation, the patient had impaired ICA perfusion due to internal shunt catheter migration into the PPHA followed by acute infarction in the right hemisphere causing mild left hemiparesis. The patient was transferred to the rehabilitation hospital with mRS grade 3. After 3 months of rehabilitation, the patient recovered to mRS grade 1 and clipping surgery for the unruptured right ICA aneurysm was performed as the second step with uneventful postoperative course. CONCLUSION: The treatment strategy should be carefully considered depending on the specific blood circulation for such cases of PPHA with unique vasculature.

Prognostic Determinants of Anterior Large Vessel Occlusion in Acute Stroke in Elderly Patients.

This study investigated prognostic factors in elderly patients (80 years and older) undergoing mechanical thrombectomy (MT) for anterior circulation large vessel occlusion (LVO) in acute stroke treatment. Of 59 cases, 47.5% achieved a favorable outcome (mRS ≤ 3) at three months, with a mortality rate of 20.3%. Factors associated with better outcomes included younger age, lower admission National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores, lower N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and D-dimer levels, the presence of the first pass effect (FPE), and successful recanalization. However, logistic regression showed that only lower admission NIHSS scores were significantly correlated with favorable outcomes. In addition, this study suggests that lower admission NT-proBNP and D-dimer levels could potentially serve as prognostic indicators for elderly LVO patients undergoing MT.

Ruptured Saccular Aneurysm Caused by Necrotizing Arteritis of the Polyarteritis Nodosa Type in Primary Angiitis of Central Nervous System.

Primary angiitis of central nervous system (PACNS) is a rare idiopathic vasculitis that typically involves small arteries. An 18-year-old woman was operated on for resection of a ruptured aneurysm in a cerebral artery. Multiple aneurysms of cerebral arteries had been detected by neuroimaging examinations since the age of 12, and she had been administered drugs following a diagnosis of PACNS since the age of 15. The resected aneurysm was a ruptured saccular aneurysm occurring in a medium-sized artery. Histologically, necrotizing arteritis of the polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) type was noted in the aneurysmal wall. It consisted of an admixture of acute and healing stages. In the acute stage, fibrinoid necrosis in the intima and media and intense inflammatory cell infiltrate in the entire wall were present. The inflammatory cells mainly consisted of lymphocytes, including plasma cells, neutrophils, and macrophages. In the healing stage, disappearance of fibrinoid necrosis, fibrosis in the intima and media, and scarce inflammatory cells were noted. The acute stage was mainly present near the ruptured site. From these findings, the aneurysm was considered to have been caused by necrotizing arteritis of the PAN type. Although saccular aneurysmal formation in a medium-sized artery is rare in PACNS, an understanding of aneurysms produced by necrotizing arteritis of the PAN type offers useful information for the diagnosis and treatment of PACNS.

Trends in prior antithrombotic medication and risk of in-hospital mortality after spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage: the J-ICH registry.

Spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (SICH) remains a devastating form of stroke. Prior use of antiplatelets or warfarin before SICH is associated with poor outcomes, but the effects of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) remain unclear. This study aimed to clarify trends in prior antithrombotic use and to assess the associations between prior use of antithrombotics and in-hospital mortality using a multicenter prospective registry in Japan. In total, 1085 patients were analyzed. Prior antithrombotic medication included antiplatelets in 14.2%, oral anticoagulants in 8.1%, and both in 1.8%. Prior warfarin use was significantly associated with in-hospital mortality (odds ratio [OR] 5.50, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.30-23.26, P < 0.05) compared to no prior antithrombotic use. No such association was evident between prior DOAC use and no prior antithrombotic use (OR 1.34, 95% CI 0.44-4.05, P = 0.606). Concomitant use of antiplatelets and warfarin further increased the in-hospital mortality rate (37.5%) compared to warfarin alone (17.2%), but no such association was found for antiplatelets plus DOACs (8.3%) compared to DOACs alone (11.9%). Prior use of warfarin remains an independent risk factor for in-hospital mortality after SICH in the era of DOACs. Further strategies are warranted to reduce SICH among patients receiving oral anticoagulants and to prevent serious outcomes.

Long-term evaluation of the COVID-19 pandemic impact on acute stroke management: an analysis of the 21-month data from a medical facility in Tokyo.

INTRODUCTION: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused a global public health crisis and profoundly impacted acute treatment delivery. This study conducted long-term evaluations of the impact of the pandemic on acute stroke management. METHODS: Data from a university-owned medical facility in Tokyo, Japan, were retrospectively analyzed. The number of hospital admissions for stroke and time metrics in the management of patients with acute ischemic stroke were evaluated. A year-over-year comparison was conducted using data from April 2019 to December 2021 to assess the impact of the pandemic. RESULTS: The year-over-year comparison demonstrated that the number of admissions of patients with stroke and patients who underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA), and thrombectomy during the pandemic remained comparable to the pre-COVID data. However, we found a decrease in the number of admissions of patients with stroke alerts and stroke when hospital cluster infection occurred at this facility and when the region hosted the Tokyo Olympics games during the surge of infection. The door-to-computed tomography time in 2021 was affected. This is plausibly due to the reorganization of in-hospital stroke care pathways after hospital cluster infection. However, no significant difference was observed in the onset-to-door, door-to-MRI, door-to-needle, or door-to-groin puncture times. CONCLUSIONS: We did not observe long-term detrimental effects of the pandemic at this site. Prevention of hospital cluster infections remains critical to provide safe and timely acute stroke management during the pandemic.

Older age, carotid artery stenosis, and female sex as factors correlated with twisted carotid bifurcation based on 457 angiographic studies.

BACKGROUND: Twisted carotid bifurcation (TCB) is a well-known anatomical variation of the carotid bifurcation in patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy. However, few investigations of TCB have focused on patients without internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis. This study was performed to analyze the characteristics of TCB in patients with ICA stenosis and other diverse pathologies. METHODS: All conventional cerebral angiographies performed in our institute for any reason from January 2012 to December 2018 were reviewed. The patients were divided into two groups, the TCB group and the anatomically normal non-TCB group, and the basic characteristics of the groups were analyzed. RESULTS: Both sides of the carotid bifurcation were clearly visualized in 457 patients. TCB was found in 89 of 457 patients (19.5%); among these 89 patients, 74 (83.1%) had TCB only on the right side, 8 (9.0%) only on the left side, and 7 (7.9%) bilaterally. TCB was found more frequently on the right than left [81 (17.7%) and 15 (3.3%), respectively, on each of the 457 sides (p < 0.0001)]. TCB was significantly more frequent in older patients (p = 0.02), female patients (p < 0.001), and patients with ICA stenosis or occlusion at the bifurcation (p = 0.005). The prevalence of TCB was 19.5%, and 84.4% of cases were on the right side in patients with diverse pathologies. CONCLUSIONS: Older patients, female patients, and patients with ICA stenosis or occlusion are more prone to have TCB.

Low-Cost Feedback Program for Reducing the Door-to-Computed Tomography Time.

INTRODUCTION: Early restoration of blood flow in stroke patients can be achieved by reducing the door-to-computed tomography (DTC) time. Previous research has proposed several methods to reduce the DTC time, but the implementation costs limit its transferability. This study aimed to propose a novel, simple, and low-cost method for reducing the DTC time by providing feedback on each patient's DTC time to a small group of medical workers and physicians. METHODS: A field experiment was conducted for 233 days, and the DTC time of 249 patients with stroke symptoms who were transported via ambulance to a medium-sized university hospital in Japan within 24 h after stroke onset was obtained. The first and second feedback reports on the 59th day and 154th day, respectively, were provided at the beginning of the field experiment. Using the data collected during the first 58 days as baseline data, the baseline data were compared with the post-intervention data. As part of the intervention, feedback on the DTC time for each patient was provided to six medical workers and physicians during regular meetings. The primary outcome was a continuous measure of DTC time (in min). The feedback effect hypothesis was formulated prior to data collection. RESULTS: In a sample of 68 patients at baseline, the mean DTC time was 18.16 min with a standard deviation of 7.38 min. As a result of the two feedback reports, in the sample with outliers, the mean and standard deviation decreased to 15.64 min and 5.97 min, respectively. The difference in means was 2.51 min (p = 0.021 in t tests). Results of the test of the equality of the standard deviations suggested that the two standard deviations were not equal (p = 0.065). CONCLUSIONS: The low-cost interventions successfully reduced both the mean DTC time and variation, suggesting an improvement in the quality and consistency of medical services. The result of our fine-grained analysis with a field-experiment design supports the role of feedback in achieving early treatment as suggested in the Target: Stroke initiative.

Supradiaphragmatic intrathoracic migration of ventriculoperitoneal shunt with "double bending sign".

Ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) is a common treatment for hydrocephalus. An 80-year-old woman presented with subarachnoid hemorrhage caused by rupture of an aneurysm of the right middle cerebral artery. Emergency clipping was performed. Hydrocephalus occurred shortly after and VPS placement was performed. She improved and was transferred to a rehabilitation hospital. She presented with dyspnea 5 months later. Chest computed tomography (CT) showed extensive pleural effusion and intrathoracic migration of the distal VPS catheter. Chest CT confirmed that the distal catheter had penetrated into the pleural cavity under the second rib, and the catheter tip was located at the bottom of the right thoracic cavity. Review of chest CT right after the shunt surgery found the distal catheter passing only under the second and third ribs and otherwise located in the subcutaneous layer to the abdominal cavity. Chest radiography showed that the distal shunt tube was distorted in a characteristic "double bending sign." This rare case of supradiaphragmatic intrathoracic migration of VPS indicates a possible mechanism of this migration, based on the anatomical physiology, and that "double bending sign" indicates the need for further investigation.

Stent-Assisted Coil Embolization for Acute Ruptured Dissecting Aneurysm at the P2 Segment of the Posterior Cerebral Artery: A Case Report.

Objective: We report a case of ruptured posterior cerebral artery (PCA) dissecting aneurysm treated with stent-assisted coil embolization in the acute phase of ruptured aneurysm. Case Presentation: A 60-year-old woman presented with sudden onset of severe headache followed by unconsciousness. CT showed severe subarachnoid hemorrhage. Digital subtraction angiography showed a dissecting aneurysm at the P2 segment of the right PCA. Stent-assisted coil embolization was performed for the ruptured dissecting aneurysm. Since thrombus was observed in the stent, ozagrel was administered intravenously, and the thrombus gradually disappeared during the follow-up period. She was discharged without neurological deficit. Conclusion: Parent artery occlusion is widely performed for acute ruptured PCA dissecting aneurysm, but reconstruction with stent-assisted coiling is considered to be an effective therapeutic strategy.

A case of microcystic meningioma associated with acute subdural hematoma in the posterior cranial fossa.

A 53-year-old woman was brought to the emergency room with headache and progressive deterioration of consciousness. Radiological examinations revealed acute subdural hematoma extending along the cerebellar tentorium to the falx cerebri, and a mass lesion with hemorrhage in the left cerebellum, with acute hydrocephalus. Emergency tumor and hematoma removal with decompressive craniectomy of the occiput was performed. Histopathological diagnosis was microcystic meningioma. Postoperatively, the patient recovered to clear consciousness with sequelae of left cerebellar ataxia, cerebellar dysarthria, and vertigo. This case of tentorial microcystic meningioma associated with acute subdural hematoma in the posterior cranial fossa is extremely rare, with only reported 4 similar cases.

Case Report: Chronic Adaptive Deep Brain Stimulation Personalizing Therapy Based on Parkinsonian State.

We describe the case of a 51-year-old man with Parkinson's disease (PD) presenting with motor fluctuations, who received bilateral subthalamic deep brain stimulation (DBS) with an adaptive DBS (aDBS) device, Percept™ PC (Medtronic, Inc. , Minneapolis, MN). This device can deliver electrical stimulations based on fluctuations of neural oscillations of the local field potential (LFP) at the target structure. We observed that the LFP fluctuations were less evident inside the hospital than outside, while the stimulation successfully adapted to beta oscillation fluctuations during the aDBS phase without any stimulation-induced side effects. Thus, this new device facilitates condition-dependent stimulation; this new stimulation method is feasible and provides new insights into the pathophysiological mechanisms of PD.

A Case of Vertebral Artery Dissecting Aneurysm with Double Origin of the Posterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery Causing Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.

Double origin of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery (DOPICA) is rare but is associated with intracranial aneurysm formation. A 46-year-old man was brought to our hospital with severe subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Digital subtraction angiography revealed right vertebral artery dissecting aneurysm (VADA) and DOPICA. The aneurysm involved the distal component of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery. The proximal component covered the original flow angiographically. Endovascular internal trapping and parent artery occlusion were performed for the aneurysm and the right vertebral artery (VA). Flow of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery was preserved by the proximal component of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery after trapping. The patient unfortunately died and autopsy revealed ischemic change in the right medulla oblongata. The ischemic change was considered to occur at the treatment according to the pathological findings. Sacrifice of one component of DOPICA to treat VADA with the expectation of preserved flow via the other component should be considered cautiously in terms of the neurovascular anatomy.

Surgical Results of Carotid Endarterectomy for Twisted Carotid Bifurcation.

BACKGROUND: The internal carotid artery is normally positioned posterolateral to the external carotid artery at the carotid bifurcation. An anatomic variation with the internal carotid artery positioned medial to the external carotid artery, the so-called twisted carotid bifurcation (TCB), is sometimes encountered in patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CEA). Little is known about the TCB or the implications for CEA. OBJECTIVE: The present study investigated the demographics and surgical results of our patients with TCB who underwent CEA, and demonstrates the surgery in a video clip. METHODS: Eleven of our series of 73 consecutive CEA patients (15.1%) had a TCB (TCB group). The basic surgical method was the same for both the TCB and non-TCB groups. RESULTS: The patient demographics were almost identical between the 2 groups. No significant difference was observed in the degree of stenosis, the duration of operation, or the surgery-related complications between the 2 groups. However, 9 of 11 cases were right-sided in the TCB group; the only significant difference between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: CEA for TCB can be safely performed by extension of the normal procedure, but with more meticulous preoperative assessment and gentle maneuvers. The reason for the right-side dominance is still unknown. Further investigation is needed of this anatomic entity.

Bipolar Cutting Method: Another Technique for Harvesting Donor Artery With Histological Investigation.

BACKGROUND: Safe and appropriate harvesting of the donor scalp vessel is the first key procedure in any type of bypass surgery. OBJECTIVE: To use the so-called bipolar cutting method to harvest donor arteries, in which the donor arteries are skeletonized with bipolar cautery. The surgical procedure and the preparation of the equipment of the bipolar cutting method are described. The surgical results and histological assessment are presented. METHODS: The bipolar generator was set at 50 Malis units in the coagulation mode. Under the surgical microscope, the surrounding tissue of the donor artery was divided and coagulated with the bipolar forceps. The donor artery was completely skeletonized to provide adequate length. After the recipient artery was chosen and the anastomosis site was decided, the distal end of the donor artery was cut to the appropriate length. The remnant fragment of the donor artery was histologically investigated for any damage to the arterial wall. The specimen was cut longitudinally to observe the entire length of the arterial wall and stained with hematoxylin and eosin and elastica van Gieson. RESULTS: A total of 30 bypass surgeries were performed and 38 histological specimens were obtained between February 2015 and June 2016. The success rate of the bypass was 96%. No arterial wall damage such as thermal injury or dissection of the wall was recognized in any of the specimens. CONCLUSION: The bipolar cutting method is a useful and safe method for harvesting donor scalp artery.

Operational lumped constant for FDG in normal adult male rats.

UNLABELLED: We determined an operational value for the lumped constant to be used in measurements of the local rate of cerebral glucose use (lCMR(glc)) with FDG in normal adult male rats. METHODS: The standard quantitative autoradiographic method was used with 2-deoxy-d-(14)C-glucose ((14)C-DG) and with (14)C-FDG in awake normal adult male rats. Timed arterial blood samples were drawn for 45 min after the bolus and assayed for plasma glucose and (14)C concentrations. At the end of the 45-min experimental period, the rats were killed, and their brains were removed and divided in half sagittally. One hemisphere was immediately frozen and assayed for local (14)C concentrations by quantitative autoradiography; the other was weighed, homogenized in t-octylphenoxypolyethoxyethanol solution, and assayed for (14)C concentrations in the whole brain by liquid scintillation counting. Paired rats (3 pairs), one in each pair receiving (14)C-DG and the other receiving (14)C-FDG, were studied in parallel on the same day. Additional unpaired animals (n = 8) were studied with either (14)C-DG or (14)C-FDG but not in parallel on the same day. To calculate the lCMR(glc) in rats studied with (14)C-FDG, the rate constants for (14)C-FDG were estimated from the (14)C-DG values determined for rats and the (14)C-FDG/(14)C-DG ratios determined for humans. In all of the rats studied with either (14)C-DG or (14)C-FDG, the lCMR(glc) was first calculated in 12 representative brain structures with the lumped constant of 0.48 previously determined for (14)C-DG in rats. The ratio of the lCMR(glc) thus determined with (14)C-FDG to that determined with (14)C-DG for each structure was then multiplied by the lumped constant for (14)C-DG to estimate the lumped constant for (14)C-FDG. The lCMR(glc) and the lumped constant for FDG in the brain as a whole were similarly estimated from the tracer concentrations in the brain homogenates. RESULTS: The mean values for the lumped constant for FDG were found to be 0.71 and 0.70 in the autoradiographic assays and the assays with brain homogenates, respectively. CONCLUSION: The appropriate value for the lumped constant to be used in determinations of the lCMR(glc) in normal adult male rat studies with (18)F-FDG and small-animal PET scanners is 0.71.

Preventive effect of continuous cisternal irrigation with magnesium sulfate solution on angiographic cerebral vasospasms associated with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhages: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECT Although cerebral vasospasm (CV) is one of the most important predictors for the outcome in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), no treatment has yet been established for this condition. This study investigated the efficacy of continuous direct infusion of magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) solution into the intrathecal cistern in patients with an aneurysmal SAH. METHODS An SAH caused by a ruptured aneurysm was identified on CT scans within 72 hours after SAH onset. All patients were treated by surgical clipping and randomized into 2 groups: a control group of patients undergoing a standard treatment and a magnesium (Mg) group of patients additionally undergoing continuous infusion of 5 mmol/L MgSO4 solution for 14 days. The Mg(2+) concentrations in serum and CSF were recorded daily. Neurological examinations were performed by intensive care clinicians. Delayed cerebral ischemia was monitored by CT or MRI. To assess the effect of the Mg treatment on CV, the CVs were graded on the basis of the relative degree of constriction visible on cerebral angiograms taken on Day 10 after the SAH, and transcranial Doppler ultrasonography was performed daily to measure blood flow velocity in the middle cerebral artery (MCA). Neurological outcomes and mortality rates were evaluated with the Glasgow Outcome Scale and modified Rankin Scale at 3 months after SAH onset. RESULTS Seventy-three patients admitted during the period of April 2008 to March 2013 were eligible and enrolled in this study. Three patients were excluded because of violation of protocol requirements. The 2 groups did not significantly differ in age, sex, World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies grade, or Fisher grade. In the Mg group, the Mg(2+) concentration in CSF gradually increased from Day 4 after initiation of the continuous MgSO4 intrathecal administration. No such increase was observed in the control group. No significant changes in the serum Mg(2+) levels were observed for 14 days, and no cardiovascular complications such as bradycardia or hypotension were observed in any of the patients. However, bradypnea was noted among patients in the Mg group. The Mg group had a significantly better CV grade than the control group (p < 0.05). Compared with the patients in the Mg group, those in the control group had a significantly elevated blood flow velocity in the MCA. Both groups were similar in the incidences of cerebral infarction, and the 2 groups also did not significantly differ in clinical outcomes. CONCLUSIONS Continuous cisternal irrigation with MgSO4 solution starting on Day 4 and continuing to Day 14 significantly inhibited CV in patients with aneurysmal SAH without severe cardiovascular complications. However, this improvement in CV neither reduced the incidence of delayed cerebral ischemia nor improved the functional outcomes in patients with SAH.

Caudate haemorrhage caused by pseudoaneurysm of accessory middle cerebral artery.

A 68-year-old man experienced a right caudate haemorrhage with intraventricular haemorrhage. Although a subarachnoid haemorrhage was not shown clearly, our investigation demonstrated an aneurysm-like vascular pouch located in the anomalous vessel arising from the A2 segment of the right anterior cerebral artery. Rupture of the vascular pouch was considered to be the cause of the caudate haemorrhage. Neck clipping was performed. In intraoperative observation, the anomalous vessel was diagnosed as a right accessory middle cerebral artery. Histopathology of the saccular wall showed only an adventitia and a fibrin layer, indicating a pseudoaneurysm. We routinely perform detailed vascular evaluation for any cerebrovascular disease. A meticulous vascular survey makes it possible to obtain valuable clues in cases such as caudate haemorrhage due to pseudoaneurysm of the accessory middle cerebral artery, leading to prevention of rebleeding.