Safety and Feasibility of Symptomatic Carotid Artery Stent-Assisted Revascularization within 48 Hours after Symptoms Onset.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the safety and feasibility of carotid artery stenting (CAS) performed in the hyperacute period. METHODS: We analyzed a retrospective database of CAS patients from our center. We included patients with symptomatic isolated ipsilateral extracranial carotid stenosis and acute tandem occlusions who underwent CAS. Hyperacute CAS (HCAS) and acute CAS (ACAS) groups were defined as CAS within 48 hours and >48 hours to 14 days from symptoms onset, respectively. The primary outcome was a composite of any stroke, myocardial infarction, or death at 3 months of follow-up. Secondary outcomes were periprocedural complications and restenosis or occlusion rates. RESULTS: We included 97 patients, 39 with HCAS and 58 with ACAS. There was no significant difference between groups for the primary outcome (HCAS 3.3% vs. ACAS 6.1%; p = 1). There were no differences in the rate of perioperative complications between groups although a trend was observed (HCAS 15.3% vs. ACAS 3.4%; p = .057). The rate of restenosis or occlusion between groups (HCAS 8.1% vs. ACAS 9,1%; log-rank test p = .8) was similar with a median time of follow-up of 13.7 months. CONCLUSION: Based on this study, CAS may be feasible in the hyperacute period. However, there are potential higher rates of perioperative complications in the hyperacute group, primarily occurring in MT patients with acute tandem occlusion. A larger multicenter study may be needed to further corroborate our findings.

Patterns of Care and Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Cerebral Sinus Venous Thrombosis.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the association between rurality, transfer patterns and level of care with clinical outcomes of CVST patients in a rural Midwestern state. MATERIALS AND METHODS: CVST patients admitted to the hospitals between 2005 and 2014 were identified by inpatient diagnosis codes from statewide administrative claims dataset. Records were linked across interhospital transfers using probabilistic linkage. Rurality was defined by Rural-Urban Commuting Areas using the 2-category approximation. Driving distances were estimated using GoogleMaps Application Programming Interface. Hospital stroke certification was defined by the Joint Commission. Severity of CVST was estimated by cost of care corrected for inflation and cost-to-charge ratios. Outcome was discharge disposition and total length of stay (LOS). Wilcoxon rank-sum, Chi-square, Fisher's exact tests and linear and logistic regressions were used. RESULTS: 168 CVST patients were identified (79.8% female; median age = 32, IQR = 24.0-45.5). Median LOS was four days (IQR = 2-7) and patients traveled a median of 8.1 miles (IQR = 2.5-28.5) to the first hospital; 42% of patients were transferred to a second hospital, 5% to a third. More than half (58.3%) bypassed the nearest hospital. 86% visit a primary or comprehensive stroke center (CSC) during their acute care. Rurality was not significantly associated with LOS or discharge disposition after adjusting for age, sex and cost of care. Patients in CSC demonstrated greater likelihood of being discharged home compared to at a primary stroke center after adjusting for age and disease severity (p = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: While rurality was not significantly associated with LOS or disposition outcome, care at a CSC increases likelihood of being discharge home.

In-House Anesthesia and Interventional Radiology Technologist Support Optimize Mechanical Thrombectomy Workflow after Hours.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Prior literature suggests after-hours delay leads to poor functional outcomes in stroke patients undergoing thrombectomy. We aimed to evaluate the impact of time of presentation on mechanical thrombectomy (MT) metrics and its association with long-term functional outcome in an Interventional Radiology (IR) suite equipped operating room (OR) setting. METHODS: Retrospective review of prospectively maintained database on all stroke patients undergoing mechanical thrombectomy between January 2015 and December 2018 at our CSC. Work hours were defined by official OR work hours (Monday-Friday 7 AM and 5 PM) and after-hours as between 5 PM and 7 AM during weekdays and weekends as well as official hospital holidays. Primary outcome was 90-day modified Rankin Scale (mRS). Secondary outcomes included door to groin puncture time and procedural complications. RESULTS: A total of 315 patients were included in the analyses. 209 (66.4%) received mechanical thrombectomy after hours and 106 (33.6%) during work hours. There was no difference in the shift distribution of functional outcome on the mRS at 90 days (OR: 1.14, CI: 0.72-1.78, p=0.58) and the percentage of patients achieving functional independence (mRS 0-2) at 90 days (43.1% vs. 41.3%; p=0.83) between the after hour and work hour groups respectively. Similarly, there was no difference in median door to groin times and procedural complications among both groups, with significant year on year improvement in overall time metrics. CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that undergoing MT during off-hours had similar functional outcomes when compared to MT during working hours in an OR setting. The after-hours deleterious effect might disappear when MT is performed in a system with 24-hours in-house Anesthesia and IR tech services.

Decreases in Blood Pressure During Thrombectomy Are Associated With Larger Infarct Volumes and Worse Functional Outcome.

Background and Purpose- After large-vessel intracranial occlusion, the fate of the ischemic penumbra, and ultimately final infarct volume, largely depends on tissue perfusion. In this study, we evaluated whether blood pressure reduction and sustained relative hypotension during endovascular thrombectomy are associated with infarct progression and functional outcome. Methods- We identified consecutive patients with large-vessel intracranial occlusion ischemic stroke who underwent mechanical thrombectomy at 2 comprehensive stroke centers. Intraprocedural mean arterial pressure (MAP) was monitored throughout the procedure. ΔMAP was calculated as the difference between admission MAP and lowest MAP during endovascular thrombectomy until recanalization. Sustained hypotension was measured as the area between admission MAP and continuous measurements of intraprocedural MAP (aMAP). Final infarct volume was measured using magnetic resonance imaging at 24 hours, and functional outcome was assessed using the modified Rankin Scale at discharge and 90 days. Associations with outcome were analyzed using linear and ordinal multivariable logistic regression. Results- Three hundred ninety patients (mean age 71±14 years, mean National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score of 17) were included in the study; of these, 280 (72%) achieved Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction 2B/3 reperfusion. Eighty-seven percent of patients experienced MAP reductions during endovascular thrombectomy (mean 31±20 mm Hg). ΔMAP was associated with greater infarct growth ( P=0.036) and final infarct volume ( P=0.035). Mean ΔMAP among patients with favorable outcomes (modified Rankin Scale score, 0-2) was 20±21 mm Hg compared with 30±24 mm Hg among patients with poor outcome ( P=0.002). In the multivariable analysis, ΔMAP was independently associated with higher (worse) modified Rankin Scale scores at discharge (adjusted odds ratio per 10 mm Hg, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.04-1.32; P=0.009) and at 90 days (adjusted odds ratio per 10 mm Hg, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.07-1.38; P=0.003). The association between aMAP and outcome was also significant at discharge ( P=0.002) and 90 days ( P=0.001). Conclusions- Blood pressure reduction before recanalization is associated with larger infarct volumes and worse functional outcomes for patients affected by large-vessel intracranial occlusion stroke. These results underscore the importance of BP management during endovascular thrombectomy and highlight the need for further investigation of blood pressure management after large-vessel intracranial occlusion stroke.

Neuroimaging Findings in Intracranial Sarcoid Phlebitis: A Case Report.

INTRODUCTION: Venous phlebitis in Neurosarcoidosis (NS) is rare but is often associated with intracranial hemorrhage (ICH). Imaging findings in such cases have been recently described on susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI). CASE PRESENTATION AND OUTCOME: We report a patient who presented with ICH. Magnetic resonance imaging provided evidence for parenchymal and leptomeningeal involvement while SWI and vessel wall imaging (VWI) helped confirmed NS associated intracranial phlebitis. The patient was subsequently diagnosed with systemic sarcoidosis. DISCUSSION: The emerging role of VWI and SWI in the diagnosis of this rare entity is discussed.

Endovascular Thrombolysis or Thrombectomy for Cerebral Venous Thrombosis: Study of Nationwide Inpatient Sample 2004-2014.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: 15% of cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) patients have poor outcomes despite anticoagulation. Uncontrolled studies suggest that endovascular approaches may benefit such patients. In this study, we analyze Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) data to evaluate the safety and efficacy of endovascular therapy (ET) versus medical management in CVT. We also examined the yearly trends of ET utilization in the United States. METHODS: International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes were utilized to identify CVT patients who received ET. To make the data nationally representative, weights were applied per NIS recommendations. Since ET was not randomly assigned to patients and was likely to be influenced by disease severity, propensity score weighting methods were utilized to correct for this treatment selection bias. Outcome variables included in-hospital mortality and discharge disposition. To determine if our primary outcomes were associated with ET, we used weighted multivariable logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: Of the 49,952 estimated CVT cases, 48,704 (97%) received medical management and 1248 (3%) received ET (mechanical thrombectomy [MT] alone, N = 269 [21%], MT ± thrombolysis, N = 297 [24%], and thrombolysis alone, N = 682 [55%]). Patients who received ET were older with more CVT associated complications including venous infarct, intracranial hemorrhage, coma, seizure, and cerebral edema. There was a significant yearly rise in the use of ET, with a trend favoring MT versus thrombolysis alone. ET was independently associated with an increased risk of death (odds ratio 1.96, 95% confidence interval 1.15-3.32). CONCLUSIONS: Patients receiving ET experienced higher mortality after adjusting for age and CVT associated complications. Large, well designed prospective randomized trials are warranted for further evaluation of the safety and efficacy of ETs.

Disparities in Inter-hospital Helicopter Transportation for Hispanics by Geographic Region: A Threat to Fairness in the Era of Thrombectomy.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Mechanical thrombectomy (MT) is a time-dependent therapy that is only available at a limited number of hospitals. As such, patients that live at a considerable distance of those specialized centers often require rapid interhospital emergent evacuation with Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) to be considered for MT. It is not known whether the use of HEMS is equitable across different groups of patients. METHODS: Acute ischemic stroke patients emergently transferred to another facility were identified in a retrospective review of a large Medicare claims database. Mode of transportation (HEMS, advanced, or basic ground ambulances) was determined by CPT codes. Distance from patient's residence to the closest center with MT capabilities was calculated. Generalized linear mixed logit models were used to determine the odds of HEMS relative to ground services for Hispanic and non-Hispanic black (NHB) patients relative to non-Hispanic white (NHW) patients while controlling for confounders. RESULTS: A total of 8027 patients that underwent emergent interhospital transportation were analyzed. HEMS utilization was 18.1% for NHB, 20.6% for Hispanics, and 21.6% for NHW (P = .054). In adjusted analyses for confounders, including distance to a MT-capable hospital, Hispanic patients were less likely than NHWs to be transported by HEMS. While that association had marginal significance for the whole United States (OR = .76; 95% CI, .57-1.01; P = .055), it was statistically significant for patients living in the southern region of the United States (OR = .6; 95% CI, .40-.92; P = .019). DISCUSSION: Our findings suggest there is a disparity in the use of HEMS in Hispanic stroke patients compared to NHW. Such a disparity may delay arrival to a MT-capable hospital, delay treatment times, or lead to ineligibility for MT altogether. Given the known benefit of MT and known existing disparities in stroke treatment and outcomes, it is important to further investigate and address disparities in mode of interhospital transportation.

Cerebral Microbleeds are an Independent Predictor of Hemorrhagic Transformation Following Intravenous Alteplase Administration in Acute Ischemic Stroke.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Intravenous alteplase (rt-PA) increases the risk of hemorrhagic transformation of acute ischemic stroke. The objective of our study was to evaluate clinical, laboratory, and imaging predictors on forecasting the risk of hemorrhagic transformation following treatment with rt-PA. We also evaluated the factors associated with cerebral microbleeds that increase the risk of hemorrhagic transformation. METHODS: Consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke admitted between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2013 were included in the study if they received IV rt-PA, had magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain on admission, and computed tomography or MRI of the brain at 24 (18-36) hours later to evaluate for the presence of hemorrhagic transformation. The clinical data, lipid levels, platelet count, MRI, and computed tomography images were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: The study included 366 patients, with mean age 67 ± 15 years; 46% were women and 88% were white. The median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score was 6 (interquartile range 3-15). Hemorrhagic transformation was observed in 87 (23.8%) patients and cerebral microbleeds were noted in 95 (25.9%). Patients with hemorrhagic transformation tended to be older, nonwhite, have atrial fibrillation, higher baseline NIHSS score, lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and cerebral microbleeds and nonlacunar infarcts. Patients with cerebral microbleeds were more likely to be older, have hypertension, hyperlipidemia, previous history of stroke, and prior use of antithrombotics. On multivariate analysis race, NIHSS score, nonlacunar infarct, and presence of cerebral microbleeds were independently associated with hemorrhagic transformation following treatment with rt-PA. CONCLUSIONS: Presence of cerebral microbleeds is an independent predictor of hemorrhagic transformation of acute ischemic stroke following treatment with rt-PA.

Guidelines for Management of Hyperlipidemia: Implications for Treatment of Patients with Stroke Secondary to Atherosclerotic Disease.

After careful review of randomized cardiovascular outcomes trial data, the 2013 ACC/AHA cholesterol guideline focused on using the appropriate intensity of statin therapy to reduce atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk and moved away from recommending specific low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) treatment targets. In patients who have had a stroke or other clinical ASCVD event, a high-intensity statin should be initiated up to age 75 years unless there are safety concerns, including a history of hemorrhagic stroke. A moderate-intensity statin is recommended if there are safety concerns or age is greater than 75 years. Atorvastatin 40-80 mg and rosuvastatin 20-40 mg are considered high-intensity statins. These new guidelines avoid unnecessary usage of non-statins to achieve specific LDL-C values, thus avoiding potential adverse effects or use of an inadequate statin intensity in patients who are "at goal." When non-statins are considered for additional LDL-C lowering, ezetimibe is the only non-statin clearly shown to further reduce ASCVD risk when added to background statin therapy.

Mechanical thrombectomy in cerebral venous thrombosis: systematic review of 185 cases.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Cerebral venous thrombosis is generally treated with anticoagulation. However, some patients do not respond to medical therapy and these might benefit from mechanical thrombectomy. The aim of this study was to gain a better understanding of the efficacy and safety of mechanical thrombectomy in patients with cerebral venous thrombosis, by performing a systematic review of the literature. METHODS: We identified studies published between January 1995 and February 2014 from PubMed and Ovid. We included all cases of cerebral venous thrombosis in whom mechanical thrombectomy was performed with or without intrasinus thrombolysis. Good outcome was defined as normal or mild neurological deficits at discharge (modified Rankin Scale, 0-2). Secondary outcome variables included periprocedural complications and recanalization rates. RESULTS: Our study included 42 studies (185 patients). Sixty percent of patient had a pretreatment intracerebral hemorrhage and 47% were stuporous or comatose. AngioJet was the most commonly used device (40%). Intrasinus thrombolysis was used in 131 patients (71%). Overall, 156 (84%) patients had a good outcome and 22 (12%) died. Nine (5%) patients had no recanalization, 38 (21%) had partial, and 137 (74%) had near to complete recanalization. The major periprocedural complication was new or increased intracerebral hemorrhage (10%). The use of AngioJet was associated with lower rate of complete recanalization (odds ratio, 0.2; 95% confidence interval, 0.09-0.4) and lower chance of good outcome (odds ratio, 0.5; 95% confidence interval, 0.2-1.0). CONCLUSIONS: Our systematic review suggests that mechanical thrombectomy is reasonably safe but controlled studies are required to provide a definitive answer on its efficacy and safety in patients with cerebral venous thrombosis.

Acute StrokeTreatment in Children: Are Adult Guidelines Applicable?

Purpose of this Review: This article provides an overview into acute treatments in stroke which are widely studied and available for adults and their applicability in the pediatric population. Recent Findings: Arterial ischemic stroke is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in the pediatric population. Neurological deficits and etiologies are age-dependent and more challenging to diagnose than in the adult population. Advancements in imaging and treatment modalities including increased treatment windows in acute stroke have led to improvement in the diagnosis and management of pediatric arterial ischemic disease. Accordingly, hyperacute treatments, such as endovascular therapy, are becoming increasingly available in an attempt to improve outcomes in children. Summary: Significant scientific and technological advances have transformed the hyperacute treatment of stroke in the recent years, allowing for improvement in the diagnosis and treatment of cerebrovascular pathologies in children. Optimization in the approach, and validation of existing stroke pathways/protocols is expected to further advance acute stroke therapy in pediatric patient care. Given that the lifelong individual, family, and societal burden of acute stroke is likely to be greater than in adults because infants and children surviving stroke live more years with disability, we must be knowledgeable about this pathology and the medical and therapeutic options available for this unique population as detailed in this review.

Absent hyperdense middle cerebral artery sign is associated with poor functional outcome after mechanical thrombectomy.

BACKGROUND: The hyperdense middle cerebral artery sign on computed tomography indicates proximal middle cerebral artery occlusion. Recent reports suggest an association between the hyperdense sign and successful reperfusion. The prognostic value of the hyperdense middle cerebral artery sign in patients receiving mechanical thrombectomy has not been extensively studied. AIMS: Our study aims to evaluate the association between the hyperdense middle cerebral artery sign and functional outcome in patients with M1 occlusions that had undergone mechanical thrombectomy. METHODS: We conducted a single-center retrospective observational cohort study of 102 consecutive patients presenting with acute M1 occlusions that had undergone mechanical thrombectomy. Patients were stratified into cohorts based on the presence of hyperdense middle cerebral artery sign visually assessed on computed tomography by two readers. The outcomes of interests were functional disability measured by the ordinal Modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at 90 days, mortality, reperfusion status and hemorrhagic conversion. RESULTS: Out of the 102 patients with M1 occlusions, 71 had hyperdense middle cerebral artery sign. There was no significant difference between the cohorts in age, baseline mRS, NIHSS, ASPECTS, and time to reperfusion. The absence of hyperdense middle cerebral artery sign was associated with increased odds of being dependent or dying (higher mRS) (OR: 3.24, 95% CI: 1.30-8.06, p = 0.011) after adjusting for other significant predictors, including age, female sex, hypertension, presenting serum glucose, ASPECTS, CTA collateral score, and successful reperfusion. CONCLUSION: The absence of hyperdense middle cerebral artery sign is associated with worse functional outcome in patients presenting with M1 occlusions undergoing thrombectomy.

Angiography suite cone-beam CT perfusion for selection of thrombectomy patients: A pilot study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The availability of cone-beam CT perfusion (CBCTP) in angiography suites may improve large-vessel occlusion (LVO) triage and reduce reperfusion times for patients presenting during extended time window. We aim to evaluate the perfusion maps correlation and agreement between multidetector CT perfusion (MDCTP) and CBCTP when obtained sequentially in patients undergoing endovascular therapy. METHODS: This is a prospective, pilot, single-arm interventional cohort study of consecutive patients with anterior circulation LVO. All patients underwent MDCTP and CBCTP prior to endovascular therapy, generating cerebral blood flow (CBF), cerebral blood volume (CBV), mean transit time (MTT), and time-to-maximum/time to peak contrast concentration maps. We compared the two imaging modalities using three different methods: (1) six regions of interest (ROIs) placed in the anterior circulation territory; (2) ROIs placed in all 10 Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score regions; and (3) ROI drawn around the entire ischemic area. ROI ratios (unaffected/affected area) were compared for all sequences in each method. We used the intraclass correlation coefficient to calculate the correlation between the studies. Bland-Altman plots were also created to measure the degree of agreement. Finally, a sensitivity analysis was done comparing both modalities in patients with low infarct growth rate. RESULTS: Fourteen patients were included (median age 81 years [74-87], 50% males, median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale 19 [14-22]). Median time between studies was 42 minutes (interquartile range 29-61). Independently of the method used, we found moderate to excellent correlation in CBF, CBV, and MTT between modalities. CBF correlation further improved in patients with low infarct growth. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate promising accuracy of CBCTP in evaluating ischemic tissue in patients presenting with LVO ischemic stroke.

Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis Associated With Coronavirus Disease 2019: Case Report and Review of the Literature.

INTRODUCTION: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is associated with significant risk of acute thrombosis. We present a case report of a patient with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) associated with COVID-19 and performed a literature review of CVST associated with COVID-19 cases. CASE REPORT: A 38-year-old woman was admitted with severe headache and acute altered mental status a week after confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19. Magnetic resonance imaging brain showed diffuse venous sinus thrombosis involving the superficial and deep veins, and diffuse edema of bilateral thalami, basal ganglia and hippocampi because of venous infarction. Her neurological exam improved with anticoagulation (AC) and was subsequently discharged home. We identified 43 patients presenting with CVST associated with COVID-19 infection. 56% were male with mean age of 51.8±18.2 years old. The mean time of CVST diagnosis was 15.6±23.7 days after onset of COVID-19 symptoms. Most patients (87%) had thrombosis of multiple dural sinuses and parenchymal changes (79%). Almost 40% had deep cerebral venous system thrombosis. Laboratory findings revealed elevated mean D-dimer level (7.14/mL±12.23 mg/L) and mean fibrinogen level (4.71±1.93 g/L). Less than half of patients had prior thrombotic risk factors. Seventeen patients (52%) had good outcomes (mRS <=2). The mortality rate was 39% (13 patients). CONCLUSION: CVST should be in the differential diagnosis when patients present with acute neurological symptoms in this COVID pandemic. The mortality rate of CVST associated with COVID-19 can be very high, therefore, early diagnosis and prompt treatment are crucial to the outcomes of these patients.

Combined Transradial and Transfemoral Approach Using a Compliant Balloon for Emboli Protection at the Vertebral Artery During Subclavian Stenosis Stenting: 2-Dimensional Operative Video.

Endovascular intervention has become the mainstay of treatment for subclavian artery stenosis in many centers, with high technical success and low complication rates.1,2 However, potential embolization during proximal subclavian artery intervention can lead to catastrophic posterior circulation ischemic complications.3-5 Although considered a rare complication, the presence of a contralateral hypoplastic vertebral artery with persisting anterograde vertebral blood flow on the affected side is likely to increase the risk of embolization.3 The use of embolic protection devices, such as filters and noncompliant balloons, has been previously described.3,6,7 However, there is still a risk of distal embolization and vessel injury with the use of these devices.7 We present a technical video of a patient in their 80s with left subclavian stenosis who underwent subclavian stent-assisted percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (SAPTA) using an anterograde-retrograde access technique with a dual-lumen compliant balloon catheter (Scepter XC; MicroVention, Aliso Viejo, California) placed at the proximal segment of the left vertebral artery. With this approach, the compliant balloon provides adequate protection while minimizing the risk of endothelial injury and distal embolization. Written informed consent was obtained for the procedure. Patient consent was waived because all health information was deidentified.

Retrieval of distally migrated coil using stent retriever and proximal aspiration.

Endovascular coiling has become the preferred treatment of many centers for the management of both ruptured and unruptured aneurysms. Coil migration is a rare complication that can lead to vessel occlusion in 90% of the cases. Endovascular techniques for coil retrieval have shown less complication rates than open surgery. Stent retriever devices have been successfully used for the retrieval of proximally migrated coils, however, distally migrated coils still represent a challenge with greater risk of complications. In the present technical video 1, we demonstrate the successful retrieval of a distally M3 migrated coil using a 3 mm Trevo XP ProVue stent riever (Stryker Neurovascular, Fremont, CA, USA) in combination with proximal aspiration. neurintsurg;13/9/860/V1F1V1Video 1.

Quantitative Assessment of Hyperdense Sign Measured by Hounsfield Units is Associated with Unsuccessful Mechanical Thrombectomy.

PURPOSE: Despite advancement in mechanical thrombectomy (MT) techniques, 10-30% of MT for large vessel occlusions (LVO) are unsuccessful. Current prediction models fail to address the association between patient-specific factors and reperfusion. We aimed to evaluate objective, easily reproducible, admission clinical and radiological biomarkers that predict unsuccessful MT. METHODS: We analyzed consecutive anterior LVO MT patients at two comprehensive stroke centers. The primary outcome was unsuccessful reperfusion defined by a modified thrombolysis in cerebral infarction (mTICI) score of 0-2a. We quantitatively assessed the hyperdense vessel sign by measuring Hounsfield units (HU) on admission computed tomography (CT). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted to estimate the predictive value of quantitative hyperdense middle cerebral artery (MCA) measurements (delta and ratio) and of the final model for mTICI scores. We performed multivariable logistic regression to analyze associations with outcomes. RESULTS: Out of 348 patients 87 had unsuccessful MT. Smoking, difficult arch, vessel tortuosity, vessel calcification, diminutive vessels, truncal M1 occlusion, delta HU and HU ratio were significantly associated with unsuccessful MT in the univariate analysis. When we fitted two separate multivariate models including all significant variables and a HU measurement; delta HU <6 (odds ratio, OR = 2.07, 95% confidence intervals, CI 1.09-3.92) and HU ratio ≤1.1 (OR = 2.003, 95% CI 1.05-3.81) were independently associated with failed MT after adjustment for smoking, diminutive vessels, vessel tortuosity, and difficult arch. The area under the curve AUC<9 of the final model was 0.717. CONCLUSION: Novel radiological biomarkers on CT, CT angiography (CTA) and digital subtraction angiography (DSA) may help identify patients refractory to standard MT and prepare interventionalists for using additional alternative methods. Quantitative assessment of HU (delta and ratio) may be important in developing objective prediction tools for unsuccessful MT.

Optimal Woven EndoBridge (WEB) Device Size Selection Using Automated Volumetric Software.

INTRODUCTION: Selecting the appropriate Woven EndoBridge (WEB) device sizing for the treatment of wide-neck bifurcation aneurysms (WNBAs) remains challenging. The aim of this study was to evaluate different volumetric-based imaging methodologies to predict an accurate WEB device size selection to result in a successful implantation. METHODS: All consecutive patients treated with WEB devices for intracranial aneurysms from January 2019 to June 2020 were included. Aneurysm dimensions to calculate aneurysm volumes were measured using three different modalities: automated three-dimensional (3D) digital subtraction angiography (DSA), manual 3D DSA, and two-dimensional (2D) DSA. The device-aneurysm volume (DAV) ratio was defined as device volume divided by the aneurysm volume. WEB volumes and the DAV ratios were used for assessing the device implantation success and follow-up angiographic outcomes at six months. Pearson correlation, Wilcoxon Rank Sum test, and density approximations were used for estimating the WEB volumes and the imaging modality volumes for successful implantation. RESULTS: A total of 41 patients with 43 aneurysms were included in the study. WEB device and aneurysm volume correlation coefficient was highest for 3D automatic (r = 0.943), followed by 3D manual (r = 0.919), and 2D DSA (r = 0.882) measurements. Measured median volumes were significantly different for 3D automatic and 2D DSA (p = 0.017). The highest rate of successful implantation (87.5%) was between 0.6 and 0.8 DAV ratio. CONCLUSION: Pre-procedural assessment of DAV ratios may increase WEB device implantation success. Our results suggest that volumetric measurements, especially using automated 3D volumes of the aneurysms, can assist in accurate WEB device size selection.

Review of current intracranial aneurysm flow diversion technology and clinical use.

Endovascular treatment of intracranial aneurysms (IAs) has evolved considerably over the past decades. The technological advances have been driven by the experience that coils fail to completely exclude all IAs from the blood circulation, the need to treat the diseased parent vessel segment leading to the aneurysm formation, and expansion of endovascular therapy to treat more complex IAs. Stents were initially developed to support the placement of coils inside wide neck aneurysms. However, early work on stent-like tubular braided structure led to a more sophisticated construct that then later was coined as a flow diverter (FD) and found its way into clinical application. Although FDs were initially used to treat wide-neck large and giant internal carotid artery aneurysms only amenable to surgical trap with or without a bypass or endovascular vessel sacrifice, its use in other types of IAs and cerebrovascular pathology promptly followed. Lately, we have witnessed an explosion in the application of FDs and subsequently their modifications leading to their ubiquitous use in endovascular therapy. In this review we aim to compile the available FD technology, evaluate the devices' peculiarities from the authors' perspective, and analyze the current literature to support initial and expanded indications, recognizing that this may be outdated soon.

Greater intraprocedural systolic blood pressure and blood pressure variability are associated with contrast-induced neurotoxicity after neurointerventional procedures.

BACKGROUND: Contrast-induced neurotoxicity (CIN) is a rare complication of neurointerventional procedures and its understanding remains limited. We evaluated the association of CIN with systemic hemodynamics in patients undergoing neuroendovascular interventions. METHODS: We conducted a 1:2 matched case-control study from a prospectively collected database of 2510 neurointerventional patients. We defined CIN as new neurological deficits presented ≤24 h post-operation after excluding other possible etiologies. We obtained demographic, clinical and imaging data, and baseline and intraprocedural blood pressures (BP) from medical records. The area between baseline and intraprocedural BP was used to measure sustained variability of BP over time. A generalized linear mixed model and generalized estimating equation were used to analyze the BP difference between groups over time. RESULTS: We evaluated 11 CIN cases and 22 controls. 2746 and 5837 min of continued BP data were analyzed for cases and controls, respectively. CIN cases had higher measurements and greater variability for: Systolic BP (SBP) [median 125 (IQR:121-147) vs. 114 (IQR:107-124) mmHg], median area above baseline [median 350 (IQR:25-1328) vs. 52 (IQR:0-293) mmHg*minutes] and mean arterial pressure (MAP) [median 85 (IQR:79-98) vs. 80 (IQR:74-89) mmHg]. CIN cases demonstrated a significant mean increase in SBP and MAP of 23.41 mmHg (p < 0.01) and 13.79 mmHg (p < 0.01) when compared to controls, respectively, over the perioperative time. CONCLUSION: Sustained hypertension and high BP variability may contribute to the pathophysiology of CIN. Acute hypertension can increase blood-brain barrier permeability and potentially allow contrast to leak into the brain parenchyma causing direct toxicity and CIN symptoms.