Clinical consequence of vessel perforations during endovascular treatment of acute ischemic stroke.

PURPOSE: Endovascular treatment (EVT) of acute ischemic stroke can be complicated by vessel perforation. We studied the incidence and determinants of vessel perforations. In addition, we studied the association of vessel perforations with functional outcome, and the association between location of perforation on digital subtraction angiography (DSA) and functional outcome, using a large EVT registry. METHODS: We included all patients in the MR CLEAN Registry who underwent EVT. We used DSA to determine whether EVT was complicated by a vessel perforation. We analyzed the association with baseline clinical and interventional parameters using logistic regression models. Functional outcome was measured using the modified Rankin Scale at 90 days. The association between vessel perforation and angiographic imaging features and functional outcome was studied using ordinal logistic regression models adjusted for prognostic parameters. These associations were expressed as adjusted common odds ratios (acOR). RESULTS: Vessel perforation occurred in 74 (2.6%) of 2794 patients who underwent EVT. Female sex (aOR 2.0 (95% CI 1.2-3.2)) and distal occlusion locations (aOR 2.2  (95% CI 1.3-3.5)) were associated with increased risk of vessel perforation. Functional outcome was worse in patients with vessel perforation (acOR 0.38 (95% CI 0.23-0.63)) compared to patients without a vessel perforation. No significant association was found between location of perforation and functional outcome. CONCLUSION: The incidence of vessel perforation during EVT in this cohort was low, but has severe clinical consequences. Female patients and patients treated at distal occlusion locations are at higher risk.

A rare complication of an Arteriovenous shunt after bimaxillary surgery.

The most common complications following bimaxillary surgery are inferior alveolar nerve damage, hemorrhage, and relapse. Severe complications are rare, but few cases of vascular arteriovenous malformation, cavernous sinus thrombosis, formation of an aneurysm or arteriovenous shunting are reported in literature. We present a case of a 20-year-old male patient who developed a right sided tinnitus and visible pulsations close to the mandibular angle on the right side after bimaxillary surgery. CT-angiography and subsequent digital subtraction angiography (DSA) six months after surgery showed an arteriovenous fistula (AVF) from the external carotid artery to the external jugular vein. The AVF was treated by endovascular coil embolization. At six months after intervention there were no residual complaints. We discuss the possible etiology and trauma mechanisms that might have caused this pathology and present recommendations to avoid this type of complications.