The professional and personal impact of the coronavirus pandemic on US neurointerventional practices: a nationwide survey.

BACKGROUND: Little is currently known about the effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on neurointerventional (NI) procedural volumes or its toll on physician wellness. METHODS: A 37-question online survey was designed and distributed to physician members of three NI physician organizations. RESULTS: A total of 151 individual survey responses were obtained. Reduced mechanical thrombectomy procedures compared with pre-pandemic were observed with 32% reporting a greater than 50% reduction in thrombectomy volumes. In concert with most (76%) reporting at least a 25% reduction in non-mechanical thrombectomy urgent NI procedures and a nearly unanimous (96%) cessation of non-urgent elective cases, 68% of physicians reported dramatic reductions (>50%) in overall NI procedural volume compared with pre-pandemic. Increased door-to-puncture times were reported by 79%. COVID-19-positive infections occurred in 1% of physician respondents: an additional 8% quarantined for suspected infection. Sixty-six percent of respondents reported increased career stress, 56% increased personal life/family stress, and 35% increased career burnout. Stress was significantly increased in physicians with COVID-positive family members (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study designed to understand the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on NI physician practices, case volumes, compensation, personal/family stresses, and work-related burnout. Future studies examining these factors following the resumption of elective cases and relaxing of social distancing measures will be necessary to better understand these phenomena.

Unique percutaneous direct puncture technique for occlusion of a hypoglossal canal dural arteriovenous fistula.

PURPOSE: To report percutaneous transcranial puncture, embolization and occlusion of a very symptomatic hypoglossal canal/anterior condylar vein dural arteriovenous fistula (DAVF) using syngo iGuide navigational software in a patient in whom transarterial and transvenous embolization and surgery had failed. METHODS: After unsuccessful arterial and venous embolization and surgical treatment of a symptomatic hypoglossal canal DAVF, a 47-year-old man was transferred for further management. With exquisite anatomic detail provided by C-arm cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) equipment (Artis zee Biplane, Dyna CT VC21H, Siemens Healthcare GmbH, Germany) and syngo iGuide needle guidance navigational software (Siemens Healthcare GmbHy) for planning a safe direct approach, the hypoglossal/anterior condylar vein, the dominant outflow vein of the fistula, was needle punctured percutaneously at the hypoglossal foramen and occluded with ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer liquid embolic agent (Onyx, Medtronic, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA) after placing two anchoring platinum coils (Target detachable coils, Stryker Neurovascular, Fremont, California, USA). RESULTS: After a year of progressively severe left eye proptosis, chemosis and increased intraocular pressure, the symptoms quickly subsided after this embolization and the patient was symptom free at his 3-month and later checkups. CONCLUSION: With guidance and imaging provided by CBCT and syngo iGuide navigational software, an otherwise untreatable DAVF was successfully embolized and obliterated by an aggressive unique percutaneous trans-cranial needle puncture of the dominant outflow vein in the hypoglossal canal.

Contextualizing the first-round failure of the AHCA: down but not out.

On 8 November 2016 the American electorate voted Donald Trump into the Presidency and a majority of Republicans into both houses of Congress. Since many Republicans ran for elected office on the promise to 'repeal and replace' Obamacare, this election result came with an expectation that campaign rhetoric would result in legislative action on healthcare. The American Health Care Act (AHCA) represented the Republican effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Key elements of the AHCA included modifications of Medicaid expansion, repeal of the individual mandate, replacement of ACA subsidies with tax credits, and a broadening of the opportunity to use healthcare savings accounts. Details of the bill and the political issues which ultimately impeded its passage are discussed here.

Use of a pressure sensing sheath: comparison with standard means of blood pressure monitoring in catheterization procedures.

PURPOSE: Monitoring of blood pressure (BP) during procedures is variable, depending on multiple factors. Common methods include sphygmomanometer (BP cuff), separate radial artery catheterization, and side port monitoring of an indwelling sheath. Each means of monitoring has disadvantages, including time consumption, added risk, and signal dampening due to multiple factors. We sought an alternative approach to monitoring during procedures in the catheterization laboratory. METHODS: A new technology involving a 330 µm fiberoptic sensor embedded in the wall of a sheath structure was tested against both radial artery catheter and sphygmomanometer readings obtained simultaneous with readings recorded from the pressure sensing system (PSS). Correlations and Bland-Altman analysis were used to determine whether use of the PSS could substitute for these standard techniques. RESULTS: The results indicated highly significant correlations in systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressures (MAP) when compared against radial artery catheterization (p<0.0001), and MAP means differed by <4%. Bland-Altman analysis of the data suggested that the sheath measurements can replace a separate radial artery catheter. While less striking, significant correlations were seen when PSS readings were compared against BP cuff readings. CONCLUSIONS: The PSS has competitive functionality to that seen with a dedicated radial artery catheter for BP monitoring and is available immediately on sheath insertion without the added risk of radial catheterization. The sensor is structurally separated from the primary sheath lumen and readings are unaffected by device introduction through the primary lumen. Time delays and potential complications from radial artery catheterization are avoided.

MACRA: background, opportunities and challenges for the neurointerventional specialist.

The legislative branch of government took many by surprise when it announced the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015. Once the Act was passed, President Obama quickly signed this bipartisan, bicameral effort into law. A foundational element of this legislation was the permanent repeal of the sustainable growth rate formula. Physicians and their patients were appropriately enthusiastic about this development. The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 included additional elements of considerable interest to neurointerventional specialists.

Comprehensive Overview of Contemporary Management Strategies for Cerebral Aneurysms.

Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) remains an important health issue in the United States. Despite recent improvements in the diagnosis and treatment of cerebral aneurysms, the mortality rate following aneurysm rupture. In those patients who survive, up to 50% are left severely disabled. The goal of preventing the hemorrhage or re-hemorrhage can only be achieved by successfully excluding the aneurysm from the circulation. This article is a comprehensive review by contemporary vascular neurosurgeons and interventional neuroradiolgists on the modern management of cerebral aneurysms.

Quantification of speed-up and accuracy of multi-CPU computational flow dynamics simulations of hemodynamics in a posterior communicating artery aneurysm of complex geometry.

BACKGROUND: Towards the translation of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques into the clinical workflow, performance increases achieved with parallel multi-central processing unit (CPU) pulsatile CFD simulations in a patient-derived model of a bilobed posterior communicating artery aneurysm were evaluated while simultaneously monitoring changes in the accuracy of the solution. METHODS: Simulations were performed using 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 processors. In addition, a baseline simulation was obtained with a dual-core dual CPU computer of similar computational power to clinical imaging workstations. Parallel performance indices including computation speed-up, efficiency (speed-up divided by number of processors), computational cost (computation time × number of processors) and accuracy (velocity at four distinct locations: proximal and distal to the aneurysm, in the aneurysm ostium and aneurysm dome) were determined from the simulations and compared. RESULTS: Total computation time decreased from 9 h 10 min (baseline) to 2 h 34 min (10 CPU). Speed-up relative to baseline increased from 1.35 (2 CPU) to 3.57 (maximum at 10 CPU) while efficiency decreased from 0.65 to 0.35 with increasing cost (33.013 to 92.535). Relative velocity component deviations were less than 0.0073% and larger for 12 CPU than for 2 CPU (0.004 ± 0.002%, not statistically significant, p=0.07). CONCLUSIONS: Without compromising accuracy, parallel multi-CPU simulation reduces computing time for the simulation of hemodynamics in a model of a cerebral aneurysm by up to a factor of 3.57 (10 CPUs) to 2 h 34 min compared with a workstation with computational power similar to clinical imaging workstations.

Increased cell opening and prolapse of struts of a neuroform stent in curved vasculature: value of angiographic computed tomography: technical case report.

OBJECTIVE AND IMPORTANCE: To describe the use of a new imaging tool, angiographic computed tomography, for visualization of cell opening and strut prolapse of a Neuroform 2 stent (Boston Scientific/Target, Fremont, CA) placed in curved vasculature for treatment of a basilar tip aneurysm. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: A 46-year-old woman presented with an unruptured 8-mm basilar tip aneurysm with a wide patulous neck. INTERVENTION: A 4 x 20-mm Neuroform 2 stent was placed across the aneurysm neck. Angiographic computed tomographic scanning was performed using a flat detector biplane angiographic system with new commercially available software (Dyna-CT; Siemens Medical Solution, Forchheim, Germany) and the following parameters: 20-second acquisition, 0.4-degree increment, 512 matrix in projections, 220-degree total angle, 20 degree/s, and approximately 15 to 30 frames/s, for a total of 538 projections. Image postprocessing was performed to correct scattered radiation, beam hardening, and ring artifacts on a commercially available workstation (Leonardo, Siemens Medical Solutions, Erlangen, Germany). The aneurysm was coiled in a second session, using bare platinum coils without clinical sequelae. CONCLUSION: Increased opening of cells and prolapsing of struts of an open cell design stent can occur after placement in a curved vessel across an aneurysm orifice. Angiographic computed tomography is a new imaging tool that provides visualization of intracranial stents that is superior to digital subtraction angiogram or nonsubtracted images. It will enhance our understanding of stent behavior in clinical practice and improve the efficacy and safety of intracranial stent placement. Further in vitro and in vivo imaging studies of intracranial stents are necessary to assess the value of this promising new technique.

Endovascular treatment of high-flow carotid cavernous fistulas by stent-assisted coil placement.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Endovascular techniques are the methods of choice for the treatment of patients with carotid cavernous fistulas. We report our experience using stent-assisted coil placement for treatment of patients with high-flow fistulas that are associated with severe laceration of the internal carotid artery. METHODS: In a retrospective review of an internal endovascular therapy database covering the interval between October 2001 and October 2003, we identified a total of 5 patients presenting with 6 high-flow type A carotid cavernous fistulas (one had a bilateral fistula) that were associated with severe laceration of the internal carotid artery. All were treated first with stenting of the injured segment of the internal carotid artery followed by transarterial (3/6) and/or transvenous (4/6) obliteration of the fistula with detachable platinum coils. In 2 cases, a liquid adhesive was also used. In all instances, a compliant balloon was inflated within the stented arterial segment during coil deposition to avoid extension of coils into the parent artery. RESULTS: All 6 fistulas were obliterated, and each internal carotid artery was successfully reconstructed. Except for posttraumatic cranial nerve dysfunction in 1 patient, clinical outcome was very good. Follow-up angiograms in 3 of the 6 patients obtained at intervals between 3 and 6 months (mean, 4.5 months) revealed no fistula recurrence and no evidence of intimal hyperplasia within the stent. CONCLUSION: In this series of patients with high-flow carotid cavernous fistula associated with severe injury to the internal carotid artery, stent-assisted coil placement offered a safe and effective treatment. Stent-assisted coil placement may increase the ability to successfully treat fistulas with severe injury to the internal carotid artery with preservation of the parent artery.

Endovascular repair of a spontaneous carotid artery dissection with carotid stent and coils.

Dissection of the internal carotid artery is an under-recognized cause of transient ischemic attack and cerebral vascular accident. Spontaneous dissections, in which no precipitating cause can be identified, occur infrequently. Endovascular intervention is an evolving treatment option in patients in whom anticoagulation therapy alone is not adequate, who are not suitable candidates for major surgery, or who have extremely distal dissections that are difficult to access. We report a case of successful endovascular stenting and coil application in a patient with spontaneous dissection of the distal cervical internal carotid artery with extension to its petrous portion and an accompanying pseudoaneurysm at the level of the skull base.