Clinical utility of cerebral angiography in the preoperative assessment of endocarditis.

Cerebral angiography is an invasive procedure utilized without supporting guidelines in preoperative evaluations of infective endocarditis (IE). It is used to identify mycotic intracranial aneurysm, which is suspected to increase the risk of intracranial bleeding during cardiac surgery. Our objectives were to: (1) assess the utility of cerebral angiography by determining which subset of IE patients benefit from its performance; and (2) identify clinical and noninvasive screening tests that can preclude the need for invasive cerebral angiography. Retrospective analysis was performed of all patients treated surgically for IE from 7/2007 to 1/2012 and discharged with medical treatment for IE from 7/2007 to 7/2009 presenting to a large academic center. Of the 151 patients who underwent cerebral angiography, mycotic aneurysm was identified in seven (prevalence=4.6%; 95% CI 2.3-9.3%). Five had viridans group streptococci as the causative IE microorganism (p=0.0017). Noninvasive imaging and particularly absence of intracranial bleed on magnetic resonance imaging conveys a negative predictive value (NPV) of 0.977 (95% CI 0.879-0.996). Absence of a focal neurologic deficit or altered mental status convey a NPV of 0.990 (95% CI 0.945-0.998) and 0.944 (95% CI 0.883-0.974), respectively. Clinical suspicion for mycotic aneurysm and thus utilization of cerebral angiography is likely necessary only in the setting of acute neurologic deficits and when noninvasive imaging demonstrates acute intracranial bleed. A novel association between viridans group streptococci and intracranial mycotic aneurysm is demonstrated.

Outcomes of carotid stenting in patients with previous neck radiation.

OBJECTIVES: Our aim was to report outcomes of percutaneous stenting of carotid stenosis in patients with previous neck radiation. BACKGROUND: Post-irradiation carotid disease is often extensive and involves atypical areas. Data regarding outcomes of stenting of these lesions are scarce. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed medical records at our institution from January 1998 through May 2010 to determine baseline characteristics, procedural details, and follow-up data of patients who underwent stenting of radiation-associated carotid stenosis. RESULTS: Our study included 70 patients who underwent a total of 83 procedures. Of these, 47 patients were male (67%), mean age was 66.3 ± 10.6 years. Mean follow-up was 47.5 months (range from 1 to 155 months). All patients had a history of radiotherapy to the neck area, with laryngeal cancer being the most common reason. Furthermore, 41 patients (58.5%) had previous neck surgery due to malignancies. An embolic protection device was used in 61 (73%) procedures. During the follow-up, 5 (6%) ipsilateral events among a total of 10 (12.0%) ischemic events were observed. There was 1 intraprocedural stroke (1.2%), but there were no other ischemic event at 30 days and 1-year post procedure. Mortality was 4.8% during the first 30 days, 8.6% during the first year and 60% at the end of the study. Restenosis was seen in 2 (2.4%) patients at 1 year and in total nine patients (10.8 %) with long-term follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Carotid stenting is a safe and durable treatment option for patients with severe carotid stenosis and neck radiation.

Intracranial angioplasty and stenting in the awake patient.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Endovascular treatment for intracranial atherosclerosis is evolving, but complications remain an issue. Most interventions are performed under general anesthesia, preventing intraprocedural clinical evaluations. We describe our approach to intracranial angioplasty and stenting, using local rather than general anesthesia, and intraprocedural neurological assessment. METHODS: We prospectively collected procedural and outcome information on all patients undergoing intracranial angioplasty and stenting. Patients underwent interventions under local anesthesia with mild intravenous sedation or analgesia only if needed. Intraoperative neurological evaluations were performed, and symptomatology was used to guide the interventional technique. RESULTS: Forty-eight arteries in 40 patients with a mean age of 65.2 years were treated. Thirty-two anterior and 16 posterior circulation segments were treated. Technical success was achieved in 100% of patients with reduction of the mean pretreatment stenosis from 85 +/- 8.6% to 7 +/- 10.1%. Stents were deployed in 40 segments; five patients were treated with drug-eluting stents. The cobalt-chromium coronary stents were the easiest to deliver. Thirty-seven patients were treated under local anesthesia and, of those, 61.4% experienced intraprocedural symptoms that led to some alteration of the interventional technique. Headache was the most common symptom, and, when persistent, it heralded the occurrence of subarachnoid hemorrhage. There were seven total neurological complications, but only five (10.5%) led to permanent morbidity (4 strokes) or mortality (1 death). CONCLUSIONS: Intracranial angioplasty and stenting can be successfully performed using coronary techniques and equipment including drug-eluting stents. Local anesthesia permits neurological evaluations and often leads to the adjustment of the interventional technique, potentially making the procedure safer.

Multimodal therapy for the treatment of severe ischemic stroke combining GPIIb/IIIa antagonists and angioplasty after failure of thrombolysis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Intraarterial and intravenous thrombolysis are often ineffective for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke and are associated with a significant risk of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH). Multimodal rescue therapy combining mechanical disruption and platelet GPIIb/IIIa receptor antagonists may improve recanalization. METHODS: Patients who did not recanalize with thrombolysis were treated with GPIIb/IIIa antagonists, angioplasty, or an embolectomy device. Treatment was individualized based on vascular anatomy, stroke mechanism, patient status, and symptom duration. RESULTS: Twelve patients were treated within 3.8+/-2.2 hours. The mean National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score was 19.4+/-4.1. Six patients had carotid terminus occlusion, whereas 5 had middle cerebral artery and 1 had basilar artery occlusion. The average doses of intraarterial tPA and reteplase were 17.1+/-8.6 mg and 2+/-0.6 units, respectively. All patients received either an intravenous or intraarterial abciximab bolus (mean 11.8+/-5.8 mg) and heparin (mean 3278+/-1716U). Eleven were treated with angioplasty and 4 had mechanical embolectomy or stenting. Complete (8) or partial (3) recanalization was achieved in 11 cases. There was only one (8.3%) symptomatic hemorrhage. Patients had a favorable outcome at discharge (mean NIHSS 8.9+/-8.7) and 6 (50%) had an NIHSS < or =4 at discharge. CONCLUSIONS: Multimodal rescue therapy was effective at recanalizing occluded cerebral vessels that failed thrombolysis without an excess risk of ICH.

Leukocyte count predicts microembolic Doppler signals during carotid stenting: a link between inflammation and embolization.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Protected stenting has emerged as a safe and effective alternative to endarterectomy for the treatment of carotid stenosis in patients at high operative risk. Distal microembolization occurs invariably during carotid stenting. Little is known about the relationship between systemic inflammation and embolization during carotid stenting. METHODS: We examined 43 consecutive patients who underwent carotid stenting with simultaneous transcranial Doppler (TCD) monitoring of the ipsilateral middle cerebral artery. Embolization was quantified by measuring microembolic signals (MES) on TCD. Preprocedure leukocyte counts were related to MES. RESULTS: In unadjusted analyses, preprocedure leukocyte count was positively correlated with total procedural MES (r2= 0.16; P=0.008). After considering age, gender, comorbidities, concomitant medical therapies, and the use of emboli prevention devices, increasing leukocyte count (beta=35 for each 1000/microL increment; P=0.018) remained a significant and independent predictor of embolization (model-adjusted r2=0.365; P=0.0005). CONCLUSIONS: Increasing preprocedure leukocyte count independently predicted more frequent MES during carotid stenting. These data suggest that systemic inflammation may influence the degree of procedural embolization.

Severe bilateral carotid stenosis: the impact of ipsilateral stenting on Doppler-defined contralateral stenosis.

OBJECTIVES: The study examined the effect of carotid stenting (CS) on contralateral carotid Doppler-defined degree of stenosis. BACKGROUND: Patients with carotid disease are frequently referred for carotid revascularization (carotid endarterectomy [CEA] or CS) based on the results of carotid duplex studies. Although a drop in flow velocities in the contralateral carotid has been described after CEA, the effect of ipsilateral stenting on contralateral velocities has not been defined. METHODS: A total of 104 consecutive patients underwent CS and were divided into two cohorts, those with unilateral stenosis, and those with bilateral stenosis. Doppler-defined pre-procedural peak systolic velocities (PSV) and end-diastolic velocities (EDV) in the contralateral carotid were compared with the post-procedural velocities. Post-procedural angiographic stenoses were compared with post-procedural duplex-defined stenoses. RESULTS: Among patients with bilateral stenosis, after ipsilateral stenting there was a drop in the contralateral PSV and EDV of 60.3 cm/s (p = 0.005) and 15.1 cm/s (p = 0.03), respectively. There was no change in the contralateral velocities in patients with unilateral stenosis. Among patients with > or =60% stenosis by duplex in the contralateral carotid, 20% dropped to a lower classification of contralateral stenosis after ipsilateral stenting. Furthermore, 71% of patients with significant contralateral stenosis by duplex pre-stenting did not have significant stenosis by angiography. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with bilateral carotid disease may have elevated Doppler flow velocities in the contralateral carotid resulting in an artifactually high grade of stenosis. After ipsilateral carotid revascularization, such patients should have a repeat Doppler of the contralateral carotid to assess the true grade of stenosis.

Comparison of the safety and efficacy of emboli prevention devices versus platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibition during carotid stenting.

Distal embolization is the main potential risk of carotid stenting, and techniques to minimize this risk are evolving. Between July 1998 and March 2002, 305 consecutive patients who underwent elective or urgent percutaneous carotid intervention at The Cleveland Clinic were prospectively followed. During this period, the clinical practice of carotid stenting evolved from the routine use of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors (GPIs) to routine emboli-prevention device (EPD) placement. A total of 199 patients received adjunctive GPIs (91% abciximab), and 106 patients underwent the procedure with an EPD (85% filter design, 15% occlusive balloon). At 30 days, the composite end point of neurologic death, nonfatal stroke, and major bleeding, including intracranial hemorrhage, was significantly lower among patients treated with EPDs compared with those treated with GPIs (0% vs 5.1%, p = 0.02). EPDs may provide an overall safer and more effective means of neuroprotection during carotid stenting than GPIs.

Symptomatic patients have similar outcomes compared with asymptomatic patients after carotid artery stenting with emboli protection.

In a single-center cohort of 174 consecutive patients, we sought to evaluate whether the use of emboli protection devices (EPDs) results in equivalent rates of adverse events in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients after carotid artery stenting (CAS) with EPDs. Death or stroke occurred in 3.3% in the symptomatic group and in 3.5% of the asymptomatic group at 30 days (p = NS). At 6 months, there was also no significant difference in the rate of stroke or death between the groups. Unlike surgical revascularization, symptomatic patients did not have a greater risk for stroke and death compared with asymptomatic patients after CAS with EPDs.

Cutting balloon angioplasty to treat carotid in-stent restenosis.

We describe a case of carotid artery restenosis following carotid artery stenting for treatment of post-endarterectomy stenosis. The goal is to highlight the risk of recurrent restenosis following endarterectomy. In this case report, we describe the use of cutting balloon therapy as a reasonable alternative to repeat surgical revascularization.

Prevalence of conventional risk factors in patients with coronary heart disease.

CONTEXT: It is commonly suggested that more than 50% of patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) lack any of the conventional risk factors (cigarette smoking, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension). This claim implies that other factors play a significant role in CHD and has led to considerable interest in nontraditional risk factors and genetic causes of CHD. OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of the 4 conventional risk factors among patients with CHD. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PATIENTS: In 2002-2003, we analyzed data for 122458 patients enrolled in 14 international randomized clinical trials of CHD conducted during the prior decade. Patients included 76716 with ST-elevation myocardial infarction, 35527 with unstable angina/non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction, and 10215 undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalence of each conventional risk factor and number of conventional risk factors present among patients with CHD, compared between men and women and by age at trial entry. RESULTS: Among patients with CHD, at least 1 of the 4 conventional risk factors was present in 84.6% of women and 80.6% of men. In younger patients (men < or =55 years and women < or =65 years) and most patients presenting either with unstable angina or for percutaneous coronary intervention, only 10% to 15% of patients lacked any of the 4 conventional risk factors. This pattern was largely independent of sex, geographic region, trial entry criteria, or prior CHD. Premature CHD was related to cigarette smoking in men and cigarette smoking and diabetes in women. Smoking decreased the age at the time of CHD event (at trial entry) by nearly 1 decade in all risk factor combinations. CONCLUSIONS: In direct contrast with conventional thinking, 80% to 90% of patients with CHD have conventional risk factors. Although research on nontraditional risk factors and genetic causes of heart disease is important, clinical medicine, public health policies, and research efforts should place significant emphasis on the 4 conventional risk factors and the lifestyle behaviors causing them to reduce the epidemic of CHD.

Technique and outcome of ostial common carotid artery stenting: a single centre experience.

AIMS: Our aim was to report techniques and outcomes of our experience in percutaneous stenting of ostial common carotid artery lesions. METHODS AND RESULTS: We retrospectively reviewed patient medical records at our institution from January 2005 until April 2011 to determine baseline characteristics, procedural details and follow-up data of patients who underwent percutaneous stenting of ostial lesions of the common carotid artery. Our study included 17 patients of whom eight (47%) were male. Sixteen of the 17 (94.1%) procedures were performed in left common carotid arteries. In seven recent patients we used a standardised technique, which was characterised by crossing the lesion with a 0.014" wire, followed by insertion of an embolic protection device with a 300 cm long wire. In this technique, the stent mounted on a 0.035" balloon catheter was deployed on both wires instead of only on the embolic protection device wire. Mean follow-up was 17.6 months. During the follow-up, only one patient had a transient ischaemic attack, and none of them had either stroke, ischaemic retinal event, myocardial infarction or contrast nephropathy. Death was observed in five patients at the end of the study period. CONCLUSIONS: Stenting of ostial lesions of the common carotid artery appears safe and effective.

Enhanced prediction of mortality after percutaneous coronary intervention by consideration of general and neurological indicators.

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to improve methodology for predicting post-percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) mortality. BACKGROUND: Recently, an increased proportion of post-PCI deaths caused by noncardiac causes has been suggested, often in rapidly triaged patients resuscitated from sudden cardiac death or presenting with cardiogenic shock. Older risk adjustment algorithms may not adequately reflect these issues. METHODS: Consecutive patients undergoing PCI from 2000 to 2009 were randomly divided into training (n = 8,966) and validation (n = 8,891) cohorts. The 2010 ACC-NCDR (American College of Cardiology-National Cardiovascular Data Registry) mortality algorithm was applied to the training cohort and its highest risk decile, separately. Variables describing general and neurological status at admission were then tested for their additional predictive capability and new algorithms developed. These were tested in the validation cohort, using receiver-operator characteristic curve, Hosmer-Lemeshow, and reclassification measures as principal outcome measures. RESULTS: In-hospital mortality was 1.0%, of which 52.2% had noncardiac causes or major contributions. Baseline model C-statistics for the total and upper decile training cohorts were 0.904 and 0.830. The Aldrete score (addressing consciousness, respiration, skin color, muscle function, and circulation) and neurology scores added incremental information, resulting in improved validation cohort C-statistics (entire group: 0.883 to 0.914, p < 0.001; high-risk decile: 0.829 to 0.874, p < 0.001). Reclassification of the ACC-NCDR <90th and ≥90th risk percentiles by the new score yielded improved mortality prediction (p < 0.001 and p = 0.033, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Half of in-hospital deaths in this series were of noncardiac causation. Prediction of in-hospital mortality after PCI can be considerably improved over conventional models by the inclusion of variables describing general and neurological status.

Predictors of difficult carotid stenting as determined by aortic arch angiography.

OBJECTIVE: Although different aortic arch classifications exist to help determine carotid artery stenting (CAS) difficulty, they are not validated. We compared quantitative angiographic characteristics of aortic arch between easy and difficult CAS. METHODS: We defined difficult procedures as requiring the longest fluoroscopy time (FT) (90th percentile) and easy procedures as the shortest FT (10th percentile) from our CAS database. We excluded patients undergoing additional procedures, intraprocedural complications or those with difficult vascular access. RESULTS: We analyzed 24 patients with difficult CAS (median fluoroscopy time of 58 minutes) and 24 with easy CAS (median fluoroscopy time of 19 minutes). The two groups were similar with respect to demographics, comorbidities and clinical presentation at the time of CAS. Patients with difficult procedures had a longer distance from the origin of treated artery to the beginning of the descending aorta (D1; 50 +/- 17 mm vs. 40 +/- 16 mm; p = 0.04), severe tortuosity (T) of the common carotid and internal carotid vessels (T; 50.0% vs. 16.7%; p = 0.03) and a trend in the presence of a Type 3 arch (33.3% vs. 25.0%; p = 0.18) and angulated takeoff (20.8% vs. 4.3%; p = 0.19). There was no difference in the severity of stenosis or index lesion calcification, ulceration and eccentricity between the two groups. On multivariate analysis, independent predictors of procedural difficulty were D1 (odds ratio 1.04 per mm; 95% CI, 1.01-1.09; p = 0.04), and T (odds ratio 4.77; 95% CI 1.3-42.9; p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Distance from the origin of the treated artery to the beginning of the D1 and target vessel T determine prolonged fluoroscopy time during CAS.

Rate, predictors, and consequences of hemodynamic depression after carotid artery stenting.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to determine the frequency, predictors, and consequences of hemodynamic depression (HD) after carotid artery stenting (CAS). BACKGROUND: Hemodynamic depression has been reported after carotid artery stenting CAS and carotid endarterectomy (CEA). METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed data on 500 consecutive CAS procedures performed over a 5-year period. Hemodynamic depression was defined as periprocedural hypotension (systolic blood pressure <90 mm Hg) or bradycardia (heart rate <60 beats/s). Univariate and multivariate binary logistic regression models were used to determine the predictors and consequences of HD and persistent HD. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 70.5 +/- 10 years, and 69% were men. Hemodynamic depression occurred during 210 procedures (42%), whereas persistent HD developed in 84 procedures (17%). Features that independently predicted HD included lesions involving the carotid bulb (odds ratio [OR] 2.18 [range 1.46 to 3.26], p < 0.0001) or the presence of a calcified plaque (OR 1.89 [range 1.25 to 2.84], p < 0.002). Prior ipsilateral CEA was associated with reduced risk of HD (OR 0.35 [range 0.20 to 0.60], p < 0.0001). Patients who developed persistent HD were at a significantly increased risk of a periprocedural major adverse clinical event (OR 3.05 [range 1.35 to 5.23], p < 0.02) or stroke (OR 3.34 [range 1.13 to 9.90], p < 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Hemodynamic depression is common after CAS, particularly in patients with a calcified plaque in the carotid bulb, but is easily treated with conventional methods. Patients who develop persistent HD are at an increased risk of periprocedural major adverse clinical events and stroke.

Slow-flow phenomenon during carotid artery intervention with embolic protection devices: predictors and clinical outcome.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this research was to define the predictors of the "slow-reflow" phenomenon during carotid artery intervention with filter-type embolic protection devices (EPDs) and to determine its prognostic significance. BACKGROUND: During carotid artery intervention using filter-type EPDs, we have observed cases in which there is angiographic evidence of a significant reduction in antegrade flow in the internal carotid artery proximal to the filter device, termed "slow-flow." The predictors of this phenomenon and its prognostic significance are unknown. METHODS: Using a single-center prospective carotid intervention registry, patients with slow-flow were compared to patients with normal flow during carotid intervention with respect to clinical, procedural, and lesion characteristics, and the 30-day incidence of death and stroke. RESULTS: A total of 414 patients underwent 453 carotid artery interventions using EPDs. Slow-flow occurred in 42 patients (10.1%) undergoing 42 carotid interventions (9.3%), and most commonly occurred after post-stent balloon dilatation (71.4%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified the following predictors of slow-flow: recent history (<6 months) of stroke or transient ischemic attack (odds ratio [OR] 2.8, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.4 to 5.6, p = 0.004), increased stent diameter (OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.94, p = 0.044), and increased patient age (OR 1.05, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.09, p = 0.025). Among patients with slow-flow, the 30-day incidence of stroke or death was 9.5% compared to 2.9% in patients with normal flow (chi-square = 4.73, p = 0.03). This difference was driven by the disparity in the 30-day incidence of stroke (9.5% vs. 1.7%). CONCLUSIONS: Slow-flow during carotid intervention with EPDs is a frequent event that is associated with an excess risk of periprocedural stroke. The association of the phenomenon with clinically symptomatic carotid lesions and use of larger stent diameters suggests that embolization of vulnerable plaque elements may play a pathogenic role.

Carotid brachytherapy for in-stent restenosis.

Carotid stenting has emerged as an alternative revascularization modality to endarterectomy for the treatment of carotid artery disease. Restenosis of a carotid stent may be occasionally seen. Our experience in intravascular radiation therapy for coronary restenosis has provided us the opportunity to explore this treatment strategy for carotid restenosis. We report our initial experience with brachytherapy for the treatment of restenosis after carotid stenting.

Feasibility of simultaneous bilateral carotid artery stenting.

Due to the progressive aging of the population, severe bilateral carotid stenosis has become a more frequent condition. On occasion, simultaneous revascularization may be appropriate. There is increased evidence that for these high-risk patients, a percutaneous revascularization may be the best approach. However, there are concerns that simultaneous bilateral carotid stenting may be associated with cerebral hyperperfusion, excessive bradycardia, and hypotension. We report a series of 10 consecutive patients who underwent simultaneous bilateral carotid stenting. All of these patients were not deemed to be surgical candidates due to high-risk comorbidities. All but one of the lesions were successfully stented. There were no procedural deaths, myocardial infarctions, or strokes. Thus, among carefully selected patients, simultaneous bilateral carotid artery stenting is a promising, technically feasible option.