Noninvasive monitoring in a patient with SAH diagnosis treated with Cerebrolysin - case report and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) causes a high percentage of deaths and rehabilitation failures. Despite endovascular and surgery treatment algorithms, there is still no consensus on the guidelines for monitoring and neuroprotective treatment of patients. CASE REPORT: We report a case of a patient with SAH treated endovascularly. The patient was hospitalized in the intensive care unit and monitored using Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) and Optic Nerve Diameters Assessment (ONDS). CONCLUSIONS: Early and high-dose Cerebrolysin was used safely as neuroprotective treatment intravenously. The treatment using Cerebrolysin and additional monitoring was beneficial for the patient.

Periprocedural Safety and Feasibility of the New LVIS EVO Device for Stent-Assisted Coiling of Intracranial Aneurysms: An Observational Multicenter Study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Stent-assisted treatment techniques can be an effective treatment option for intracranial aneurysms. The aim of this study was to evaluate the periprocedural feasibility and safety of the new LVIS EVO stent for the treatment of intracranial aneurysms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with intracranial aneurysms treated with the LVIS EVO in 11 European neurovascular centers were retrospectively reviewed. Patient and aneurysm characteristics, procedural parameters, immediate grade of occlusion, and technical and clinical complications were assessed. RESULTS: Fifty-seven patients with 59 aneurysms were treated with the LVIS EVO device; 57.6% of the aneurysms were incidental; 15.3% were acutely ruptured; 15.3% were recanalized or residual aneurysms; and 11.9% were treated for symptoms other than acute hemorrhage. The most frequent aneurysm locations were the middle cerebral artery (25.4%) and the anterior communicating artery (22.0%). The rate of immediate successful deployment was 93.2%. In 6.8% (n = 4) of cases, additional in-stent angioplasty was needed. The immediate complete occlusion rate was 54.2%, while there was a residual aneurysm in 35.6% and a residual neck in 10.2%. Periprocedural technical complications occurred in 7/59 treatments (11.9%; the most frequent technical complication [n = 3] was thrombus formation), which all resolved completely without clinical sequelae. Postprocedural neurologic complications occurred after 4/59 treatments (6.8%; 2 transient ischemic attacks, 1 minor stroke, 1 major stroke), of which only 1 persistent complication was directly related to the procedure (minor stroke in the vascular territory distal to the stent). CONCLUSIONS: The LVIS EVO stent is a safe, feasible device for the treatment of intracranial aneurysms.

Safety and efficacy of ultra-high-dose, short-term thrombolysis with rt-PA for acute lower limb ischemia.

OBJECTIVES: The evaluation of success and complication rates of ultra high-dose recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) administered over a short time frame in the treatment of acute lower limb ischemia. METHODS: This was a prospective single-center study. The outcome of treatment in 97 patients with acute limb ischemia (<14 days) with the use of catheter directed rt-PA infusion was evaluated. The mean total dose of rt-PA was 54.1 mg (50-60 mg) and was administered for a mean of 2.51 hours (2-4 hours). Thrombolytic success was defined as 95% thrombolysis of an occluded segment with return of antegrade flow. Thirty-day complication and amputation-free survival rates were calculated. RESULTS: Thrombolytic success was achieved in 83.5%. Overall clinical success was 88.7%. The 30-day amputation-free survival rate was 93.8%. Major bleeding complications occurred in 10 patients (10.3%). There were two deaths (2.1%) and four amputations (4.1%). Long-term amputation-free survival was 70%. CONCLUSIONS: Administration of ultra-high doses of rt-PA over a short time period gives promising results. Such delivery improves patient tolerance by rapid restoration of limb perfusion; however further studies are required to confirm these results.

Treatment of acute ischemic brain infarction with the assistance of local intraarterial thrombolysis with recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator.

BACKGROUND: Cerebral infarction is usually due to arterial occlusion. Prompt treatment with thrombolytic drugs can restore blood flow and improve recovery from an infarct. PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of local intraarterial thrombolysis with recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (rtPA) in patients with acute middle cerebral artery (MCA) infarctions within 6 hours of the onset of symptoms. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Sixteen patients (10 females and six males) aged from 42 to 61 years, with acute MCA territory infarcts were selected for treatment with local i.a. rtPA up to 6 hours after the onset of symptoms. Patient selection was based on clinical examination, computed tomography (CT), and digital subtraction angiography (DSA). A clinical evaluation was performed before treatment, at the time of discharge, and 90 days post-procedure on the basis of modified Rankin and NIHSS scores. Controls (n = 16, nine females and seven males) aged from 51 to 70 years were treated only with intravenous anticoagulation using i.v. heparin infusion. The control group was evaluated with multidetector CT (MDCT) angiography performed on entry to the study and at 2-4 hours afterwards. RESULTS: Eight patients (50%) achieved a modified Rankin score of 2 or less as the primary outcome after 90 days follow-up. The secondary clinical outcome at 90-day follow-up was as follows: NIHSS score < or =1, three (19%) of the patients; NIHSS score > or =50% decrease, nine (56%) of the patients. A recanalization rate of 75% was achieved in 12 of the 16 treated patients, but only 12.5% in two of the 16 patients in the control group. Intracerebral hemorrhage occurred in two (12.5%) of the patients in the treatment group, but in only one patient (6%) in the control group. There were no deaths in the treated group after thrombolysis up to the time of discharge; however, during the 90-day follow-up, two patients died compared to three patients in the control group (19% vs. 12.5% mortality rate). CONCLUSION: Patients with cerebral infarction who were treated within 6 hours of onset using intraarterial rtPA thrombolysis had a significantly improved clinical outcome 90 days after the procedure compared to patients treated only with intravenous anticoagulation.

Primary stenting in the treatment of focal atherosclerotic abdominal aortic stenoses.

AIM: To evaluate the results of primary stent placement in focal atherosclerotic aortic stenoses using balloon expandable stents. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-six primary balloon expandable stent placements in the abdominal aorta were performed and reviewed. All the aortic stenoses were atherosclerotic. Patients were followed up by ankle/brachial pressure indices (ABPI) and Doppler ultrasound (US) at 24h after procedure and at 12 and 24 months. Follow-up angiograms were performed at 12 months. RESULTS: Twenty-six stents in 26 patients were placed in the infrarenal aorta. All procedures were technically successful and immediate clinical success was obtained. The mean ABPI significantly improved from 0.52+/-0.10 to 0.94+/-0.09 within 24h after procedure, and remained at 0.90+/-0.12 between 12 and 24 months follow-up (mean 18 months). There was full haemodynamic success at hospital discharge and at 12 and 24 months after the procedure. Clinical success at 12 and 24 months (mean 18 months) was defined as an improvement in the Fontaine classification by at least one class compared with the pre-procedure class and was shown to be 100%. CONCLUSION: In summary, we report that primary stenting is a safe and effective alternative to surgery in cases of symptomatic stenosis of the infrarenal abdominal aorta. The excellent intermediate term results suggested that we would recommend primary stenting as the treatment of choice for focal atherosclerotic stenoses of the infrarenal aorta in selected patients.

Popliteal vein aneurysm.

The incidence of a popliteal vein aneurysm is extremely low. Two cases of this rare venous anomaly are described. The epidemiology, morphology, and diagnostic methods are discussed and the potentially dangerous complications and treatment methods are presented.

Emergency Use of Stent and rtPA with Mechanical Cloth Defragmentation for a Thromboembolic Complication during GDC Coil Treatment of an Acutely Ruptured Basilar Tip Aneurysm.

Thrombotic occlusion of both posterior cerebral arteries occurred during embolization of an acutely ruptured basilar tip aneurysm. Intracranial stenting and continuous superselective infusion of rtPA was administered combined with mechanical clot fragmentation to reestablish normal vessel flow. DSA disclosed that normal vessel patency was achieved within 30 min. There were no adverse events related to rtPA administration and the patient recovered from the embolization with minor neurologic deficit as present before the procedure.