Outcome in patients previously on antithrombotic therapy in the SAMMPRIS trial: subgroup analysis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Stenting has been used as a rescue therapy in patients with intracranial arterial stenosis and a transient ischemic attack or stroke when on antithrombotic therapy (AT). We determined whether the stenting versus aggressive medical therapy for intracranial arterial stenosis (SAMMPRIS) trial supported this approach by comparing the treatments within subgroups of patients whose qualifying event (QE) occurred on versus off of AT. METHODS: The primary outcome, 30-day stroke and death and later strokes in the territory of the qualifying artery, was compared between (1) percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting plus aggressive medical therapy (PTAS) versus aggressive medical management therapy alone (AMM) for patients whose QE occurred on versus off AT and between (2) patients whose QE occurred on versus off AT separately for the treatment groups. RESULTS: Among the 284/451 (63%) patients who had their QE on AT, the 2-year primary end point rates were 15.6% for those randomized to AMM (n=140) and 21.6% for PTAS (n=144; P=0.043, log-rank test). In the 167 patients not on AT, the 2-year primary end point rates were 11.6% for AMM (n=87) and 18.8% for PTAS (n=80; P=0.31, log-rank test). Within both treatment groups, there was no difference in the time to the primary end point between patients who were on or off AT (AMM, P=0.96; PTAS, P=0.52; log-rank test). CONCLUSIONS: SAMMPRIS results indicate that the benefit of AMM over PTAS is similar in patients on versus off AT at the QE and that failure of AT is not a predictor of increased risk of a primary end point. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00576693.

Aggressive medical treatment with or without stenting in high-risk patients with intracranial artery stenosis (SAMMPRIS): the final results of a randomised trial.

BACKGROUND: Early results of the Stenting and Aggressive Medical Management for Preventing Recurrent stroke in Intracranial Stenosis trial showed that, by 30 days, 33 (14·7%) of 224 patients in the stenting group and 13 (5·8%) of 227 patients in the medical group had died or had a stroke (percentages are product limit estimates), but provided insufficient data to establish whether stenting offered any longer-term benefit. Here we report the long-term outcome of patients in this trial. METHODS: We randomly assigned (1:1, stratified by centre with randomly permuted block sizes) 451 patients with recent transient ischaemic attack or stroke related to 70-99% stenosis of a major intracranial artery to aggressive medical management (antiplatelet therapy, intensive management of vascular risk factors, and a lifestyle-modification programme) or aggressive medical management plus stenting with the Wingspan stent. The primary endpoint was any of the following: stroke or death within 30 days after enrolment, ischaemic stroke in the territory of the qualifying artery beyond 30 days of enrolment, or stroke or death within 30 days after a revascularisation procedure of the qualifying lesion during follow-up. Primary endpoint analysis of between-group differences with log-rank test was by intention to treat. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT 00576693. FINDINGS: During a median follow-up of 32·4 months, 34 (15%) of 227 patients in the medical group and 52 (23%) of 224 patients in the stenting group had a primary endpoint event. The cumulative probability of the primary endpoints was smaller in the medical group versus the percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting (PTAS) group (p=0·0252). Beyond 30 days, 21 (10%) of 210 patients in the medical group and 19 (10%) of 191 patients in the stenting group had a primary endpoint. The absolute differences in the primary endpoint rates between the two groups were 7·1% at year 1 (95% CI 0·2 to 13·8%; p=0·0428), 6·5% at year 2 (-0·5 to 13·5%; p=0·07) and 9·0% at year 3 (1·5 to 16·5%; p=0·0193). The occurrence of the following adverse events was higher in the PTAS group than in the medical group: any stroke (59 [26%] of 224 patients vs 42 [19%] of 227 patients; p=0·0468) and major haemorrhage (29 [13%]of 224 patients vs 10 [4%] of 227 patients; p=0·0009). INTERPRETATION: The early benefit of aggressive medical management over stenting with the Wingspan stent for high-risk patients with intracranial stenosis persists over extended follow-up. Our findings lend support to the use of aggressive medical management rather than PTAS with the Wingspan system in high-risk patients with atherosclerotic intracranial arterial stenosis. FUNDING: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and others.

Stenting versus aggressive medical therapy for intracranial arterial stenosis.

BACKGROUND: Atherosclerotic intracranial arterial stenosis is an important cause of stroke that is increasingly being treated with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting (PTAS) to prevent recurrent stroke. However, PTAS has not been compared with medical management in a randomized trial. METHODS: We randomly assigned patients who had a recent transient ischemic attack or stroke attributed to stenosis of 70 to 99% of the diameter of a major intracranial artery to aggressive medical management alone or aggressive medical management plus PTAS with the use of the Wingspan stent system. The primary end point was stroke or death within 30 days after enrollment or after a revascularization procedure for the qualifying lesion during the follow-up period or stroke in the territory of the qualifying artery beyond 30 days. RESULTS: Enrollment was stopped after 451 patients underwent randomization, because the 30-day rate of stroke or death was 14.7% in the PTAS group (nonfatal stroke, 12.5%; fatal stroke, 2.2%) and 5.8% in the medical-management group (nonfatal stroke, 5.3%; non-stroke-related death, 0.4%) (P=0.002). Beyond 30 days, stroke in the same territory occurred in 13 patients in each group. Currently, the mean duration of follow-up, which is ongoing, is 11.9 months. The probability of the occurrence of a primary end-point event over time differed significantly between the two treatment groups (P=0.009), with 1-year rates of the primary end point of 20.0% in the PTAS group and 12.2% in the medical-management group. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with intracranial arterial stenosis, aggressive medical management was superior to PTAS with the use of the Wingspan stent system, both because the risk of early stroke after PTAS was high and because the risk of stroke with aggressive medical therapy alone was lower than expected. (Funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and others; SAMMPRIS ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00576693.).

Bilateral mechanical rotational vertebral artery occlusion.

Rotational vertebral artery occlusion, or bow hunter's stroke, is reversible, positional symptomatic vertebrobasilar ischemia. The typical mechanism of action is obstruction of a dominant vertebral artery with contralateral head rotation in the setting of baseline ipsilateral vertebral artery stenosis or occlusion. Here we present a rare case of mechanical occlusion of bilateral patent vertebral arteries manifesting as near syncope with rightward head rotation. Diagnostic cerebral angiography showed dynamic right C5 vertebral occlusion and left C2 vertebral occlusion. The patient underwent right C4/5 transverse process decompression. Postoperative angiogram showed patent flow through the right vertebral artery in neutral position and with head turn with resultant resolution of symptoms.

Detailed analysis of periprocedural strokes in patients undergoing intracranial stenting in Stenting and Aggressive Medical Management for Preventing Recurrent Stroke in Intracranial Stenosis (SAMMPRIS).

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Enrollment in the Stenting and Aggressive Medical Management for Preventing Recurrent stroke in Intracranial Stenosis (SAMMPRIS) trial was halted due to the high risk of stroke or death within 30 days of enrollment in the percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting arm relative to the medical arm. This analysis focuses on the patient and procedural factors that may have been associated with periprocedural cerebrovascular events in the trial. METHODS: Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate whether patient and procedural variables were associated with cerebral ischemic or hemorrhagic events occurring within 30 days of enrollment (termed periprocedural) in the percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting arm. RESULTS: Of 224 patients randomized to percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting, 213 underwent angioplasty alone (n=5) or with stenting (n=208). Of these, 13 had hemorrhagic strokes (7 parenchymal, 6 subarachnoid), 19 had ischemic stroke, and 2 had cerebral infarcts with temporary signs within the periprocedural period. Ischemic events were categorized as perforator occlusions (13), embolic (4), mixed perforator and embolic (2), and delayed stent occlusion (2). Multivariate analyses showed that higher percent stenosis, lower modified Rankin score, and clopidogrel load associated with an activated clotting time above the target range were associated (P ≤ 0.05) with hemorrhagic stroke. Nonsmoking, basilar artery stenosis, diabetes, and older age were associated (P ≤ 0.05) with ischemic events. CONCLUSIONS: Periprocedural strokes in SAMMPRIS had multiple causes with the most common being perforator occlusion. Although risk factors for periprocedural strokes could be identified, excluding patients with these features from undergoing percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting to lower the procedural risk would limit percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting to a small subset of patients. Moreover, given the small number of events, the present data should be used for hypothesis generation rather than to guide patient selection in clinical practice. Clinical Trial Registration Information- URL: http://clinicaltrials.gov. Unique Identifier: NCT00576693.

Single stage transcranial exposure of large dural venous sinuses for surgically-assisted direct transvenous embolization of high-grade dural arteriovenous fistulas: technical note.

BACKGROUND: High-grade dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVFs) with retrograde cortical leptomeningeal drainage are formidable lesions because of their risk for intracranial hemorrhage. Treatment is aimed at occluding venous outflow to achieve obliteration of the fistula. In DAVFs that involve a large dural venous sinus (transverse sigmoid sinus or superior sagittal sinus), occluding venous outflow can be accomplished endovascularly with transvenous embolization. However, in some cases of DAVFs with reflux into cortical leptomeningeal veins, there may be venous restrictive disease downstream, such as occlusive thrombosis, which can prohibit endovascular access via the transfemoral or transjugular routes. In these instances, a transcranial approach can be performed to expose the large dural venous sinus distal to the site of occlusion for direct catheterization of the venous outflow for transvenous embolization. This combined surgical and endovascular strategy provides direct access to the venous outflow and bypasses the site of thrombotic obstruction. METHODS: In this report, we describe our technique of single stage surgically-assisted transvenous embolization in three patients with high-grade DAVFs involving a large dural sinus. RESULTS: All patients achieved complete obliteration of their DAVFs without any venous related complications. CONCLUSION: Our technique of surgically-assisted direct transvenous embolization of high-grade DAVFs can be successfully performed as a single stage in the operating room with intraoperative angiography and stereotactic image guidance.

Five-year results of randomized bioactive versus bare metal coils in the treatment of intracranial aneurysms: the Matrix and Platinum Science (MAPS) Trial.

BACKGROUND: No randomized trial of intracranial aneurysm coiling has compared long-term efficacy of polymer-modified coils to bare metal coils (BMCs). We report 5-year results comparing Matrix2 coils to BMCs. The primary objective was to compare the rates of target aneurysm recurrence (TAR) at 12 months. Secondary objectives included angiographic outcomes at TAR or 12 months and TAR at 5 years. METHODS: A total of 626 patients were randomized to BMCs or Matrix2 coils. Detailed methods and 1-year results have been published previously. RESULTS: Of 580 patients eligible for 5-year follow-up, 431 (74.3%) completed follow-up or reached TAR. Matrix2 coils were non-inferior to BMCs (P=0.8) but did not confer any benefit. Core lab reported post-treatment residual aneurysm filling (Raymond III) correlated with TAR (P<0.0001) and with aneurysm hemorrhage after treatment (P<0.008). Repeat aneurysmal hemorrhage after treatment, but before hospital discharge, occurred in three patients treated for acutely ruptured aneurysms. Additionally, two patients treated for unruptured aneurysms experienced a first hemorrhage during follow-up. All five hemorrhages resulted from aneurysms with Raymond III residual aneurysm filling persisting after initial treatment. After 5 years follow-up, 2/626 (0.3%) patients are known to have had target aneurysm rupture following hospital discharge. The annualized rate of delayed hemorrhage after coiling was 2/398/5=0.001 (0.1%) per year for unruptured aneurysms and 0 for ruptured aneurysms. CONCLUSIONS: After 5 years Matrix2 coils were non-inferior to BMCs but no benefit was demonstrated. Post-treatment residual angiographic aneurysm filling (Raymond III) is strongly associated with TAR (P<0.0001) and post-treatment aneurysmal hemorrhage (P=0.008).

Indications and applications of arterial stents for stroke prevention in atherosclerotic intracranial stenosis.

Intracranial stenosis accounts for 8-10% of all ischemic strokes in North America, a frequency slightly less than that of extracranial carotid stenosis. Among patients presenting with transient ischemic attack or stroke due to intracranial stenosis, the risk of recurrent stroke in the first year after initial symptoms is about 14%. Those with high-risk features (recent stroke and severe stenosis) have up to a 23% rate of recurrent stroke in the year after their initial event. Angioplasty with stenting has emerged as a potential treatment strategy, particularly in high-risk patients, although evidence is currently limited to uncontrolled prospective trials and retrospective case series. In this article, we critically review the clinical results supporting the use of stenting and highlight some key considerations in the application of this technology, including patient selection, procedural management, technical issues, and risk factors for complications and in-stent restenosis.

The role of surgery for high-grade intracranial dural arteriovenous fistulas: importance of obliteration of venous outflow.

OBJECT: Surgical intervention may be required if endovascular embolization is insufficient to completely obliterate intracranial dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVFs). The authors report their 14-year experience with 23 patients harboring diverse intracranial DAVFs that required surgical intervention. METHODS: Between 1993 and 2007, 23 patients underwent surgery for intracranial DAVFs. The following types of DAVFs were treated: superior petrosal sinus (in 10 patients); parietooccipital (in 3); confluence of sinuses and ethmoidal (in 2 each); and tentorial, falcine, occipital, transverse-sigmoid, superior sagittal, and cavernous sinuses (in 1 patient each). In all cases, the authors' goal was to obliterate the DAVF venous outflow by direct surgical interruption of the leptomeningeal venous drainage. Transarterial embolization was used primarily as an adjunct to decrease flow to the DAVF prior to definitive treatment. RESULTS: Complete angiographic obliteration of the DAVF was achieved in all cases. There were no complications of venous hypertension, venous infarction, or perioperative death. There were no recurrences and no further clinical events (new hemorrhages or focal neurological deficits) after a mean follow-up of 45 months. CONCLUSIONS: The authors' experience emphasizes the importance of occluding venous outflow to obliterate intracranial DAVFs. Those that drain purely through leptomeningeal veins can be safely obliterated by surgically clipping the arterialized draining vein as it exits the dura. Radical excision of the fistula is not necessary.

Dural arteriovenous fistula of the anterior condylar confluence and hypoglossal canal mimicking a jugular foramen tumor.

The anterior condylar confluence (ACC) is located on the external orifice of the canal of the hypoglossal nerve and provides multiple connections with the dural venous sinuses of the posterior fossa, internal jugular vein, and the vertebral venous plexus. Dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVFs) of the ACC and hypoglossal canal (anterior condylar vein) are extremely rare. The authors present a case involving an ACC DAVF and hypoglossal canal that mimicked a hypervascular jugular bulb tumor. This 53-year-old man presented with right hypoglossal nerve palsy. A right pulsatile tinnitus had resolved several months previously. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated an enhancing right-sided jugular foramen lesion involving the hypoglossal canal. Cerebral angiography revealed a hypervascular lesion at the jugular bulb, with early venous drainage into the extracranial vertebral venous plexus. This was thought to represent either a glomus jugulare tumor or a DAVF. The patient underwent preoperative transarterial embolization followed by surgical exploration via a far-lateral transcondylar approach. At surgery, a DAVF was identified draining into the ACC and hypoglossal canal. The fistula was surgically obliterated, and this was confirmed on postoperative angiography. The patient's hypoglossal nerve palsy resolved. Dural arteriovenous fistulas of the ACC and hypoglossal canal are rare lesions that can present with isolated hypoglossal nerve palsies. They should be included in the differential diagnosis of hypervascular jugular bulb lesions. The authors review the anatomy of the ACC and discuss the literature on DAVFs involving the hypoglossal canal.

Proximal junctional acute collapse cranial to multi-level lumbar fusion: a cost analysis of prophylactic vertebral augmentation.

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Limited data are available regarding incidence of proximal junctional acute collapse after multilevel lumbar spine fusion. There are no data regarding the cost of prophylactic vertebral augmentation adjacent to long lumbar fusions compared with the costs of performing revision fusion surgery for patients suffering with this complication. PURPOSE: To perform a cost analysis of prophylactic vertebral augmentation for prevention of proximal junctional acute collapse after multilevel lumbar fusion. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective chart review and cost analysis. PATIENT SAMPLE: All female patients older than 60 years undergoing extended lumbar fusions were reviewed to establish the incidence of proximal junctional acute collapse. OUTCOME MEASURES: Cost estimates for two-level vertebroplasty, two-level kyphoplasty, and revision instrumented fusion were calculated using billing data and cost-to-charge ratios. METHODS: Cost comparisons of prophylactic vertebral augmentation versus extension of fusion for patients suffering from proximal junctional acute collapse were performed. RESULTS: Twenty-eight female patients older than 60 years underwent lumbar fusions from L5 or S1 extending to the thoracolumbar junction (T9-L2). Fifteen of the 28 patients had prophylactic vertebroplasty cranial to the fused segment. Proximal junctional acute collapse requiring revision surgery occurred in 2 of the 13 patients (15.3%) treated without prophylactic vertebroplasty. None of the 15 patients undergoing cement augmentation experienced this complication. Assuming a 15% decrease in the incidence of proximal junctional acute collapse, the estimated cost to prevent a single proximal junctional acute collapse was $46,240 using vertebroplasty and $82,172 using kyphoplasty. Inpatient costs associated with a revision instrumented fusion averaged $77,432. CONCLUSIONS: Prophylactic vertebral augmentation for the prevention of proximal junctional acute collapse may be a cost effective intervention in elderly female patients undergoing extended lumbar fusions. Further efforts are needed to determine more precisely the incidence of proximal junctional acute collapse and the effects of various risk factors on increasing this incidence, as well as methods of prevention.

Endovascular treatment of spinal arteriovenous fistula in a young child with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia. Case report.

Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia ([HHT] or Osler-Weber-Rendu syndrome) can manifest as sudden onset of epistaxis or neurological deficit in a child with characteristic mucocutaneous telangiectasias or as an asymptomatic bruit with or without overlying cutaneous vascular lesions. The authors present a case study of a pediatric patient with HHT in whom a screening computerized tomography (CT) scan of the chest revealed an asymptomatic arteriovenous malformation (AVM) of the spine. An 18-month-old child with a strong family history of HHT, including fatal central nervous system (CNS) hemorrhage and pulmonary AVMs, presented with a cutaneous telangiectasia of the pinna. The child was subsequently screened for potentially morbid pulmonary and CNS AVMs by using chest CT scanning and brain magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. A spinal MR image revealed a perimedullary macro-AVF (MAVF) resulting in a large venous varix within the parenchyma of the thoracic spinal cord. A transarterial embolization of the fistula was performed using N-butyl cyanoacrylate and ethiodol. Postembolization angiography confirmed obliteration of the fistula, and MR imaging revealed thrombosis and reduction in size of the venous varix. There were no neurological sequelae due to the treatment. In families with HHT and a high risk of sudden severe morbidity or death from undisclosed pulmonary or CNS AVMs, screening chest CT scanning and CNS MR imaging should be considered. Interdisciplinary teams of neurosurgery and interventional radiology specialists should evaluate and treat such patients by using diagnostic and therapeutic angiography and, if necessary, surgery.

Arterial embolization in the management of posterior epistaxis.

OBJECTIVES: Treatment of severe epistaxis can encompass many modalities. Control rates with all treatments are good. Morbidity among treatment groups varies. Angiographic embolization is one such method that has a very low complication rate. Over the last 10 years, it has become the preferred treatment at our institution. STUDY DESIGN: Tertiary medical referral centers: OHSU, Portland VAMC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective review of 70 patients transferred or admitted with posterior epistaxis and treated with selective angiographic embolization from 1993 to 2002. RESULTS: Patients had bleeding for a median of 4.5 days prior to admission. 79% were unilateral. Etiology of bleeding was: idiopathic (61%), previous surgery (11%), anticoagulants (9%), trauma (7%), and other causes (12%). 30% required blood transfusions prior to admission to OHSU (average 4.4 units). No patient required a transfusion postoperatively following angiographic embolization or during their hospitalization. The internal maxillary artery (IMAX) was embolized in 94% (47% unilateral or bilateral IMAX only, 47% unilateral or bilateral IMAX in combination with other vessels, 6% other vessels besides the IMAX). Mean length of stay was 2.5 days. 86% had minor or no complications after the embolization and were discharged within 24 hours. 13% had a major rebleed that required surgical intervention within 6 weeks of the embolization. One patient had a serious neurological complication. Using the data available on 68 of 70 patients, the cost of hospitalization averaged dollar 18,000 with direct costs of embolization averaging dollar 11,000. CONCLUSIONS: Angiographic embolization is a clinically effective treatment for severe epistaxis. EBM RATING: C.

North American clinical experience with the EKOS MicroLysUS infusion catheter for the treatment of embolic stroke.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: We present early experience with the EKOS MicroLysUS infusion catheter for acute embolic stroke treatment in North America. This study was designed to demonstrate the safety of the device and to determine if sonography accelerates thrombolysis and improves clinical outcomes. METHODS: Fourteen patients aged 40-77 years with anterior- or posterior-circulation occlusion presented with cerebral ischemia 3-6 or 4-13 hours after symptom onset, respectively. Patients were treated with the catheter and simultaneous intraarterial thrombolysis. Procedural and clinical information, including time to lysis, degree of recanalization, National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, and modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score was recorded before treatment and afterward (immediately and at 24 hours, 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months). RESULTS: Ten patients presented with acute anterior-circulation emboli; four patients, with posterior-circulation emboli (NIHSS score, 9-23 [mean. 18.2] and 11-27 [mean, 18.75], respectively). Three deaths occurred at 24 hours: two from hemorrhage and one from cerebral swelling. Deaths also occurred at 1 week and 1 month after treatment. Thrombolysis in Myocardial Ischemia grade 2-3 flow was achieved in eight patients in the first hour. Average time to recanalization was 46 minutes. Mean NIHSS scores in eight of nine survivors at 90 days were 5 in the anterior-circulation group and 3 in the posterior-circulation group; mean mRS scores at 90 days were 2 and 3, respectively. No catheter-related adverse events occurred. CONCLUSION: Use of the EKOS MicroLysUS infusion catheter is feasible in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke. Further studies to evaluate its efficacy are warranted.

Incidence, etiology, and management of cerebrospinal fluid leaks following trans-sphenoidal surgery.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: The incidence of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak following trans-sphenoidal surgery ranges from 0.5% to 15.0%. Factors predicting which patients are likely to develop postoperative leaks and optimal management of these patients are poorly defined. The objective was to determine 1) the incidence of CSF leak following trans-sphenoidal surgery; 2) demographic or intraoperative factors associated with postoperative leaks; 3) techniques and efficacy of postoperative leak management at Oregon Health and Science University, (Portland, OR). STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective chart review. METHODS: Two hundred thirty-five trans-sphenoidal surgeries were performed on 216 patients between 1994 and 2001. Follow-up data were available for 217 operations (92.3%) performed on 202 patients (93.5%). RESULTS: Postoperative CSF leaks occurred in 6.0% (13 of 217) of patients. Leaks were more common in the setting of revision surgery versus primary surgery (14.6% vs. 4.0%, P =.0096), nonadenomatous disease versus pituitary adenoma (15.8% vs. 5.1%, P =.059), or if an intraoperative leak occurred (12.7% vs. 2.7%, P =.004). However, on multivariate analysis, only the presence of intraoperative leak (P =.008) and nonadenomatous disease (P =.047) were found to be independently associated with postoperative CSF leak. Size of adenoma was not associated with occurrence of postoperative CSF leak (6.4% for microadenoma vs. 4.2% for macroadenoma) on both univariate and multivariate analysis. There were 13 postoperative CSF leaks: 2 resolved with lumbar drainage and 11 required operative management (three required multiple procedures). Of the three patients who required multiple operations, two had hospital courses complicated by meningitis and postinfectious hydrocephalus and ultimately required ventriculoperitoneal shunts. Endoscopic re-exploration was successful in 87.5% (7 of 8) of cases. CONCLUSIONS: Cerebrospinal fluid leaks following trans-sphenoidal surgery occurred in 6.0% of cases. Nonadenomatous disease and presence of an intraoperative leak were independent predictors of a postoperative leak. Endoscopic re-exploration combined with packing was an effective technique in managing uncomplicated postoperative leaks. In the setting of meningitis and postinfectious hydrocephalus, more invasive techniques such as ventriculoperitoneal shunt may be necessary.

Management of carotid 'blowout' with endovascular stent grafts.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: Since 1992, endovascular techniques for vascular occlusion and stenting have evolved significantly. Endovascular occlusion of the carotid artery has been used in the management of carotid "blowout." Although it seems logical to expand this application to the use of arterial stents to repair rather than occlude the artery when cerebral cross-circulation is inadequate, concerns remain regarding the placement of a foreign body in a contaminated field. The purpose of the present report is to describe our experience with endovascular stents for control of carotid hemorrhage. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case review. METHODS: Retrospective review of three cases of acute or threatened carotid hemorrhage managed with endovascular stent placement. RESULTS: Two patients presented with acute carotid blowout, and one patient with a probable sentinel bleed. All patients previously had been heavily treated with surgery and irradiation: Two had developed pharyngocutaneous fistulas, and one had an open wound filled with tumor that surrounded the carotid artery. All were thought to be at significant risk for stroke if the carotid artery was occluded. In all three patients, stent placement resolved the acute hemorrhage. Mean duration of follow-up was 8.3 months. In two patients, the stent became exposed, ultimately thrombosed or extruded, or both. The third patient had no residual sequelae of stenting but died 3 months later. CONCLUSION: When an unacceptable risk of cardiovascular accident makes occlusion unwise, acute carotid hemorrhage can be successfully managed with directed placement of endovascular stents, but the long-term sequelae of placing these foreign bodies in a field with ongoing contamination make this a temporizing rather than permanent measure for use while more definitive long-term solutions are pursued.

Mechanical thrombolysis of acute ischemic stroke.

Chemical thrombolysis has been the mainstay of acute stroke treatment; however, these methods come with the risk of potentially lethal intracerebral hemorrhage. This article discusses the different methods of mechanical thrombolysis and other techniques used in the treatment of acute stroke, including angioplasty and stent placement. Some of the very latest technologies under development are reviewed. These techniques allow for a multimodal endovascular approach that includes chemical and mechanical thrombolysis to provide the optimum treatment for acute ischemic stroke.

Histopathological assessment of fatal ipsilateral intraparenchymal hemorrhages after the treatment of supraclinoid aneurysms with the Pipeline Embolization Device.

OBJECT: Delayed ipsilateral intraparenchymal hemorrhage has been observed following aneurysm treatment with the Pipeline Embolization Device (PED). The relationship of this phenomenon to the device and/or procedure remains unclear. The authors present the results of histopathological analyses of the brain sections from 3 patients in whom fatal ipsilateral intracerebral hemorrhages developed several days after uneventful PED treatment of supraclinoid aneurysms. METHODS: Microscopic analyses revealed foreign material occluding small vessels within the hemorrhagic area in all patients. Further analyses of the embolic materials using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was conducted on specimens from 2 of the 3 patients. Although microscopically identical, the quantity of material recovered from the third patient was insufficient for FTIR spectroscopy. RESULTS: FTIR spectroscopy showed that the foreign material was polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), a substance that is commonly used in the coatings of interventional devices. CONCLUSIONS: These findings are suggestive of a potential association between intraprocedural foreign body emboli and post-PED treatment-delayed ipsilateral intraparenchymal hemorrhage.