Non-aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage in aplastic or twig-like middle cerebral artery: A case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Aplastic or twig-like middle cerebral artery (Ap/T-MCA) is a rare vascular anomaly that can cause hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke. Ap/T-MCA can induce aneurysms due to the fragility of the vessel wall, consequently leading to subarachnoid hemorrhage. Herein, we report a case of Ap/T-MCA with subarachnoid hemorrhage without an aneurysm. CASE PRESENTATION: A 67-year-old man presented to our hospital with a sudden onset of headache. Computed tomography of the head revealed subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) in the left Sylvian fissure; however, no aneurysm was observed on digital subtraction angiography. Following conservative treatment, follow-up imaging showed no aneurysm or no recurrent stroke. CONCLUSION: Non-aneurysmal SAH is a possible indication of vessel wall fragility in Ap/T-MCA; however, a standardized treatment strategy for this condition remains to be established.

A Case of Tracheo-innominate Artery Fistula after Tracheostomy Successfully Treated with a Covered Stent.

A 78-year-old man underwent a tracheostomy after embolization for a dural arteriovenous fistula. Seventy days after tracheostomy, arterial bleeding appeared through the tracheal stoma. The bleeding stopped spontaneously. However, two days later, arterial bleeding reappeared, and he was diagnosed with a tracheo-innominate artery fistula (TIF). He then underwent urgent endovascular covered stent placement. After the procedure, there was no bleeding. TIF can be a fatal complication after tracheostomy and it is generally treated with open chest surgery. However, a successful endovascular treatment for TIF has recently been reported and may yield better results.

A case of simple stenting for ruptured basilar perforator aneurysm.

Ruptured aneurysms in perforating arteries are uncommon. We report a case of a basilar perforator artery aneurysm that was treated successfully using simple stenting to induce a rectifying effect without using a coil. In this case, coiling for the aneurysm was attempted initially, but it failed because of anatomical and practical problems. After placement of two stents in the basilar artery, the aneurysm was occluded completely without any neurological deficits at 100 days after the procedure. Although superselective coil embolization is ideal even in a small perforator aneurysm, simple stenting for a parent artery is a preferable treatment, especially in challenging cases for coil embolization of the aneurysmal dome.

A Case of Brainstem Infarction That Was Found to Be Vertebral Artery Dissection in a Short Period after the Diagnosis of Atherothrombotic Infarction.

Objective: We report a case of vertebral artery dissecting aneurysm that caused right lateral medullary infarction, which was treated by endovascular therapy. Case Presentations: A 57-year-old man developed right-side headache and dysarthria on the day before presentation, and exhibited mouth dropping and dysphagia the following day. Initial MRI demonstrated right lateral medullary infarction with atherothrombotic change with no vessel lesion, and we started infusion and medication administration. Later MRI revealed bilateral vertebral artery dissection, and we treated the growing right vertebral artery dissecting aneurysm by stenting and coils. Conclusion: The possibility of dissecting lesions should be considered in cases of medullary infarction. Stenting and coil treatment is a useful option for bilateral dissecting vertebral aneurysms.

[A Case of Arteriovenous Malformation of the Parotid Gland Associated with Cowden Disease].

We report a rare case of arteriovenous malformation(AVM)of the parotid gland associated with Cowden disease successfully treated with preoperative embolization followed by surgical removal. A 39-year-old man with a history of Cowden disease presented with a pulsating and growing mass on his left lower jaw. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography(CT)and angiography revealed a high-flow AVM in the deep lobe of the left parotid gland. After intravascular embolization of the feeding arteries, surgery was performed using the NIM-response®3.0, facial nerve monitoring system. The AVM was almost completely removed and the facial nerves were morphologically preserved. Interestingly, the intraoperative findings revealed that the enlarged vasa nervorum of the facial nerve also fed the AVM. Although left facial nerve palsy appeared after the surgery, the nerve function gradually improved over one year. No recurrence of the AVM has been observed for one year.

Coronary Subclavian Steal Syndrome Successfully Treated with Subclavian Artery Stenting: A Report of 2 Cases.

Coronary subclavian steal syndrome (CSSS) is a well-recognized phenomenon secondary to coronary artery bypass grafting and may cause myocardial ischemia. We report 2 cases of CSSS successfully treated with subclavian artery (SA) stenting. In both cases, an Optimo balloon guiding catheter was placed in the SA immediately proximal to the vertebral artery (VA) origin as a double protection system for the VA and left internal thoracic artery (LITA) graft. There were no periprocedural complications. Balloon protection for both the VA and LITA using a single balloon guiding catheter is a reasonable and safe technique for preventing distal embolisms.

Stenting for Internal Carotid Artery Stenosis Associated with Persistent Primitive Hypoglossal Artery Using Proximal Flow Blockade and Distal Protection System: A Technical Case Report and Literature Review.

We report a very rare case of internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis associated with persistent primitive hypoglossal artery (PPHA) treated by stenting using a proximal flow blockade and distal filter protection system. A 77-year-old man with a medical history of repeated cerebral infarction was referred to our hospital for treatment of progressive ICA stenosis. Cerebral angiography revealed that the degree of stenosis was 50% and the PPHA branched just distal to the stenosis at the C2 vertebral level. Black-blood magnetic resonance imaging indicated vulnerable plaque. The stenosis was at a high location, so carotid artery stenting was employed. Under the proximal flow blockade system with occlusion of the external and common carotid artery, distal filter protection was placed in the ICA to prevent distal embolization. A self-expanding stent was successfully deployed and the patient was discharged without any neurological deficits. In stenting for the ICA stenosis associated with PPHA, the combination of a proximal flow blockade and distal protection system is reasonable and safe.

Percutaneous balloon angioplasty for acute occlusion of intracranial arteries.

BACKGROUND: The benefits of intravenous thrombolysis for acute ischemic stroke are still limited. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of double-lumen balloon catheter-based reperfusion therapy with or without intra-arterial thrombolysis for acute occlusion of intracranial arteries. METHODS: Fifty-nine patients with acute occlusion of intracranial arteries were enrolled. A Gateway balloon catheter was used to disrupt clots or dilate atheromatous plaques in every patient. The technical details, technique-related complications, recanalization rates, and clinical outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS: The occlusion sites were internal carotid arteries in 17 patients, M1 segments in 32 patients, the M2 segment in 1 patient, a vertebral artery in 1 patient, and basilar arteries in 8 patients. Twenty-four patients (41%) were treated with thrombolysis first, and 20 patients (34%) were treated with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) followed by thrombolysis. PTA alone was performed in 15 patients (25%). The mean dose of urokinase was 205 x 10 U. The extent of recanalization was complete (Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction [TIMI] score of 3) in 17 patients (29%), and partial (TIMI 1/2) in 28 patients (47%). Functional independence at discharge was preserved in 76%, 25%, and 7% of patients with TIMI 3, TIMI 1/2, and TIMI 0, respectively. A combination of PTA and thrombolysis resulted in a significantly higher recanalization rate than PTA only. Seven patients (12%) experienced hemorrhagic events after treatment. Severe parenchymal hemorrhage with neurologic deterioration was observed in 2 patients (4%), and vessel rupture was encountered in 1 atherosclerotic case. CONCLUSIONS: Mechanical angioplasty using a Gateway catheter combined with a low-dose thrombolytic agent is a safe and effective treatment for acute intracranial embolic and atherosclerotic occlusion with a low risk of hemorrhagic complications.

Optimal dose of plasmid vascular endothelial growth factor for enhancement of angiogenesis in the rat brain ischemia model.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) administration has recently been assessed as a therapeutic strategy for ischemic diseases including brain ischemia because of its angiogenic effect. However, VEGF also causes detrimental adverse effects by increasing vascular permeability. This study examined whether plasmid human VEGF (phVEGF) administration induced angiogenic effects in the rat brain ischemia model caused by permanent ligation of both common carotid arteries, and investigated the occurrence of adverse effects. Administration of various doses (0-200 microg) of phVEGF in the temporal muscle was followed by encephalo-myo-synangiosis. Thirty days after treatment, the numbers and areas of capillaries per field in the extracted brains were analyzed with the National Institutes of Health Image software program. The maximal angiogenic effect occurred with a 100 microg dose of phVEGF in the numbers and areas of capillaries in the VEGF-treated brains. Histological examination showed no apparent adverse effects in the brain parenchyma even at the highest administration dose (200 microg) of phVEGF. The maximal angiogenic effect at the optimal dose of phVEGF can be considered under the threshold to cause serious adverse effects in the rat brain.

[Usefullness of intrasacral fixation in an extremely unstable lumbosacral spine].

Intrasacral fixation technique devised by Jackson is said to provide rigid lumbosacral fixation. We treated 3 cases of lumbosacral lesions using this technique in which lumbosacral segment had become extremely unstable during surgical intervention adding to the effect of original lesions. In all cases, surgeries were performed in 2 stages, intrasacral fixation and anterior stabilization. Case 1: A 52-year-old male was diagnosed fungal discitis and spondylitis at L4 and L5. X-ray showed destruction of the vertebral bodies. L2, L3 and sacrum were fixed posteriorly using the intrasacral fixation technique. One week after the first operation, L4 and L5 vertebral bodies were replaced by long fibula grafts through the extraperitoneal approach. Case 2: A 25-year-old female with cauda equina syndrome and abnormal body form diagnosed as having spondyloptosis in which the entire vertebral body of L5 had descended below the endplate of S1. MR imaging revealed marked canal stenosis at the S1 level. In the first surgery, L5 vertebral body was resected through the transperitoneal approach. After 1 week of bed rest, posterior segments of L5 were resected, L4 was affixed to the sacrum and anterior stabilization was achieved with 2 mesh cages and lumbosacral spine was fixed using the intrasacral fixation technique. Case 3: A 64-year-old female was diagnosed as having pyogenic discitis and osteomyelitis at the L5-S1 level. In spite of successful medical treatment for infection, low back pain continued. Radiologically, L5 vertebral body was shown to have collapsed and slipped anteriorly over the sacrum. L3, L4 and sacrum were fixed by intrasacral fixation. One week after the first operation, the L5/S1 disc and the suppurtive vertebral bodies were resected through the extraperitoneal approach and anterior stabilization was performed with iliac bone grafts. At follow-up for a minimum of 6 months, initial fixation was maintained in all 3 cases and bony fusion was obtained. The intrasacral fixation technique was considered to be effective for extremely unstable lumbosacral lesions.

Combined use of TruFill DCS detachable coil system and Guglielmi detachable coil for embolization of meningioma fed by branches of the cavernous internal carotid artery.

A 57-year-old female presented with a left petroclival meningioma fed by the meningohypophyseal trunk of the internal carotid artery (ICA). The enlarged tentorial marginal artery and inferior hypophyseal artery were successfully embolized with the TruFill DCS Detachable Coil System through a 0.019-inch inner diameter microcatheter. Superselective catheterization into the dorsal meningeal artery could not be achieved with the same microcatheter, because the catheter tip was too large to pass into the vessel. Subsequently the feeding artery was successfully embolized with a Guglielmi detachable coil (GDC) through a 0.016-inch inner diameter microcatheter. The patient underwent surgery without blood loss on the day after embolization. Our subjective impression was that the TruFill DCS was softer and had less resistance during insertion, whereas the GDC could be delivered through a smaller caliber system for smaller vessels. Appropriate use of the TruFill DCS and GDCs can allow efficient embolization of the feeding branches of the ICA.

[Embolization for aneurismal dilatation associated with ruptured dissecting anterior inferior cerebellar artery aneurysm with preservation of the parent artery: case report].

We report a rare case of a ruptured dissecting anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) aneurysm treated by endosaccular embolization with a Guglielmi detachable coil (GDC). An 85-year-old female presented with headache. Computed tomographic (CT) scan showed subarachnoid hemorrhage and intraventricular hemorrhage in the fourth ventricule. Cerebral angiography and 3D-CT angiography revealed an aneurysmal dilatation at the anterior pontine segment of the right AICA with a diagnosis of arterial dissection. The right posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) was absent and the right AICA supplied the territory normally nourished by the right PICA. The aneurismal dilatation was occluded by endosacullar embolization with preservation of the AICA. The distal AICA aneurysm is rare and only seven cases treated with endovascular embolization have been reported. In these, six cases were treated by parent artery occlusion with coil and the subsequent three cases presented with ischemic complications. Only one case was treated by endosaccular embolization with GDC. To our knowledge, this is the second report of the distal AICA aneurysm treated by endosaccular embolization with GDC. Distal AICA aneurysms are briefly discussed while reviewing the literature.

Adult unilateral moyamoya disease with familial occurrence in two definite cases: a case report and review of the literature.

We documented an interesting case of adult "unilateral (probable)" moyamoya disease displaying familial occurrence in two "definite" cases. A 55-year-old female presented with motor aphasia, involuntary movement of the right hand and right homonymous hemianopia due to cerebral infarction. Cerebral angiography revealed typical angiographic findings on the left side and normal findings on the right side; consequently, the patient was diagnosed with probable moyamoya disease. Previously, her mother and nephew had been diagnosed with definite moyamoya disease with bilateral involvement. The patient continued to exhibit unilateral involvement on angiography for more than 4 years. Clinical features such as absence of familial occurrence suggest that most cases of probable moyamoya disease are distinct from definite cases, especially in adults. To the best of our knowledge, this report appears to be the first involving an adult probable case characterized by familial occurrence. The literature pertaining to adult probable moyamoya disease was reviewed and the etiology of this disease was discussed.

Enhanced brain angiogenesis in chronic cerebral hypoperfusion after administration of plasmid human vascular endothelial growth factor in combination with indirect vasoreconstructive surgery.

OBJECT: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a secreted mitogen associated with angiogenesis. The conceptual basis for therapeutic angiogenesis after plasmid human VEGF gene (phVEGF) transfer has been established in patients presenting with limb ischemia and myocardial infarction. The authors hypothesized that overexpression of VEGF using a gene transfer method combined with indirect vasoreconstruction might induce effective brain angiogenesis in chronic cerebral hypoperfusion, leading to prevention of ischemic attacks. METHODS: A chronic cerebral hypoperfusion model induced by permanent ligation of both common carotid arteries in rats was used in this investigation. Seven days after induction of cerebral hypoperfusion, encephalomyosynangiosis (EMS) and phVEGF administration in the temporal muscle were performed. Fourteen days after treatment, the VEGF gene therapy group displayed numbers and areas of capillary vessels in temporal muscles that were 2.2 and 2.5 times greater, respectively, in comparison with the control group. In the brain, the number and area of capillary vessels in the group treated with the VEGF gene were 1.5 and 1.8 times greater, respectively, relative to the control group. CONCLUSIONS: In rat models of chronic cerebral hypoperfusion, administration of phVEGF combined with indirect vasoreconstructive surgery significantly increased capillary density in the brain. The authors' results indicate that administration of phVEGF may be an effective therapy in patients with chronic cerebral hypoperfusion, such as those with moyamoya disease.

[A case of cervical endodermal cyst].

A very rare case involving an endodermal cyst of the cervical spinal canal was documented. In 1999, a 28-year-old male presented with mild tetraplegia due to a traffic accident and consequently, he was admitted to another hospital. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) performed at that time demonstrated a cervical cord cyst. He was treated conservatively and as a result, complete resolution of symptoms was achieved. Five years later, he presented with progressive right hemiparesis and was referred to our institute. MRI at the time of admission exhibited an intradural extramedullary cystic lesion on the ventral side of the spinal cord at the C5-6 levels, which was characterized by low intensity on T1-weighted, and by high intensity on T2-weighted images. The cyst, which had increased in size, compressed the spinal cord remarkably backward. The anterior central vertebrectomy approach was performed. Subtotal resection of the cyst wall was conducted due to its tight partical adhesion to the spinal cord. The vertebral defect was reconstructed with an autogenous iliac graft. According to histological findings the cyst wall consisted of a single layer of columnar epithelial cells with secretory granules and immunohistochemical examination revealed that the cyst wall was positive for cytokeratin 7. Symptoms improved immediately. Subsequently, the patient was discharged with good performance status. Endodermal cysts are very rare developmental cysts derived from the embryonic endodermal layer. Moreover, these lesions are usually located intradurally in the cervical and upper dorsal spine ventral to the spinal cord. Total removal of the cyst is recommended if it is possible. However, total resection is often difficult due to adhesion of the cyst wall to the neural tissue so invasive resection should be avoided. In such cases, follow-up MRI is necessary in order to exclude recurrence of the remnant lesion.

Combined use of electrolytically and mechanically detachable platinum coils for endovascular treatment of cerebral aneurysms--technical note.

The combined use of Guglielmi detachable coils (GDCs) and newly developed mechanically detachable platinum coils (Detach Coil System: DCS) was evaluated for the endovascular treatment of 10 patients with cerebral aneurysms. The number and total length of detachable coils placed into the aneurysms, the detaching time for each coil, and any technical problems were recorded and evaluated. Sixty GDCs and 60 DCSs were used. The detachment time for the DCS (mean 21 seconds) was faster than that for the GDC (mean 2 minutes 35 seconds). One DCS moved inside the aneurysm during the mechanical detachment maneuver, but was successfully placed. Neither detachment system influenced the behavior of the other system during coil implantation. The DCS includes a useful J-shape coil, whereas the GDC can be detached safely in fragile aneurysms. The DCS is also cheaper. The coil systems complemented one another and the combination optimized cost and operating time.

[A review of dural arteriovenous fistulas with hemorrhagic onset].

The majority of dural arteriovenous fistulas are considered to have a benign clinical course, but some behave more aggressively, causing progressive neurological symptoms and/or intracranial hemorrhage. Several classifications of angiographic findings have been reported to predict what findings might result in catastrophic presentation. Cortical venous drainage has been described as one of the major risk factors of hemorrhage. We reviewed the records of 50 patients with dural arteriovenous fistulas admitted to our institution from 1991 to 2001 and analyzed their venous drainage patterns with reference to Cognard's classification. Six patients had hemorrhagic episodes caused by dural arteriovenous fistula and all of them had retrograde drainage through cerebral veins. The frequency of hemorrhage in Type I and IIa was 0%, in Type IIb it was 33.3%, in Type IIa + b it was 9.1%, in Type III and Type IV it was 50%, and in Type V it was 100%. These results agreed with those of Cognard reported in 1994, and we reconfirmed the usefulness of Cognard's classification. In order to adapt a firm strategy and treat them promptly and aggressively, it is important to be able to recognize what type of dural arteriovenous fistulas are perilous.

[Usefulness of dynamic digitized cerebral parenchymography for cerebral vascular disease].

Aortic arch injections according to Theron's method have been performed in patients with cerebral ischemia. Digital subtraction angiograms with modified windowing (low and narrow) have been used for better visualization of cerebral parenchymal condition. This "cerebral parenchymography" allows much easier understanding of cerebral parenchymal vascularization on angiographic imaging. Although further study is necessary to estimate accurate cerebral blood flow, this technique can enable an easy and quick understanding of the overall cerebral hemodynamics.