Mechanical thrombectomy with the Solitaire device in acute basilar artery occlusion.

AIMS: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of mechanical thrombectomy with the Solitaire FR device in revascularization of patients with acute basilar artery occlusion (ABAO) and to identify the predictive factors for clinical outcome. METHODS: This prospective single-center study included 31 patients with acute ischemic stroke attributable to ABAO treated within the first 24 h after onset of symptoms with the Solitaire device. Nineteen patients simultaneously received intravenous thrombolysis. Recanalization rates after stent retrieval were determined and the clinical outcome and mortality rate were assessed 180 days after treatment. RESULTS: The mean ±SD age of the patients was 61±17 years, the median prethrombectomy NIH Stroke Scale score was 38 (IQR 9-38) and the median Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score was 7 (IQR 4-14). Successful recanalization (TICI 3 or 2b) was achieved in 23 patients (74%). Five symptomatic intracranial hemorrhages were related to the procedure. Ten symptomatic distal migrations of thrombotic material occurred. A favorable outcome, defined as a modified Rankin Score (mRS) of 0-2, was observed in 35% of patients (11/31). Overall mortality rate was 32% (10/31). In the univariate analysis, elevated baseline glucose (p=0.008) was significantly associated with a poor outcome (mRS >2), whereas a tendency towards significance was observed with age (p=0.06), GCS on admission (p=0.07) and symptom-related lesions on T2 sequences (p=0.10). Patients with successful recanalization tended to have a better outcome (p=0.20). CONCLUSION: Mechanical thrombectomy with the Solitaire FR device can rapidly and effectively contribute to a high rate of recanalization and improve functional outcome in patients with ABAO and has an acceptable complication rate.

Carotid thrombus formation and extension during anticoagulation: a case report of large vessel disease and hypercoagulable state in systemic sclerosis.

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune multisystem disorder of connective tissue characterized by widespread vascular lesions and fibrosis. Limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis (lcSSc) and diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis (dsSSC) are both subsets of SSc. The vascular component of SSc is an important part of the disease. Especially Raynaud's phenomenon and microcirculatory abnormalities are well recognized. Enhanced coagulation pathways, decreased fibrinolysis, and endothelial dysfunction probably contribute to vascular events in SSc. Macrovascular disease is not recognized as a major feature of SSc. However, several studies report an increase in large vessel disease and mortality rate attributable to cardiovascular causes. We present a patient with lcSSc with an acute embolic stroke due to a large carotid thrombus. A hypercoagulable state was suspected because of thrombus formation during oral anticoagulation and extension during intravenous heparin treatment. This is one of the few reports of large vessel disease in systemic sclerosis. The hypercoagulable state may be related to systemic sclerosis.