Stent Retriever-Assisted Continuous Aspiration for Distal Intracranial Vessel Embolectomy: The Distal Combined Technique.

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the efficacy of a combined approach with stent retriever-assisted aspiration catheter for distal intracranial vessel occlusion (distal combined technique [DCT]). METHODS: We evaluated consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke with distal occlusion in anterior circulation, including occlusions of the M2/M3 or A2/A3 segments, who received endovascular therapy (EVT) in a single center. Modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infraction (mTICI) score including TICI 2C category, processing time from puncture to reperfusion, proportion of a favorable clinical outcome at discharge (modified Rankin Scale [mRS] score ≤2), and incidence of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) were compared between the DCT and single device approach technique (non-DCT) groups. RESULTS: Of 65 patients, 28 were treated with EVT using the DCT and 37 were treated with EVT with a single device approach (non-DCT). In the DCT group, a higher reperfusion rate at the first pass (mTICI score ≥2B, 92% vs. 54%; P = 0.0008; mTICI score ≥2C, 71% vs. 16%; P < 0.0001; mTICI score 3, 57% vs. 14%; P = 0.0004) and shorter time from puncture to successful reperfusion (median, 31 vs. 43 minutes; P = 0.0006) were achieved, respectively. The final successful reperfusion rate was also higher in the DCT group than in the non-DCT group (mTICI score ≥2C, 85% vs. 51%; P = 0.004; mTICI score 3, 75% vs. 43%; P = 0.012), respectively. sICH occurred in 2 patients in the non-DCT group. Patients with mRS score ≤2 at discharge were more prevalent in the DCT than in the non-DCT group (57% vs. 27%, respectively; P = 0.021). CONCLUSIONS: This retrospective analysis indicated that the DCT is a useful and safe strategy for patients with distal anterior intracranial vessel occlusion.