Low Levels of Glycemia within the First 48 Hours after Mechanical Thrombectomy for Acute Ischemic Stroke May be Associated with Better Clinical Outcome.

INTRODUCTION: Many different factors may have an impact on clinical outcome after mechanical thrombectomy (MT) for acute ischemic stroke (AIS). We aimed to investigate levels of serum glycemia (GLY) within the first 48 hours after MT. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Consecutive AIS patients were enrolled in the retrospective bi-center study. Neurological deficit was assessed with National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and functional outcome after 3 months with modified Rankin scale with a score 0-2 for good outcome. Presence of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage was assessed according to the SITS- MOST criteria. RESULTS: In total, 868 patients (442 males, mean age 69.7 ± 12.2 years) with a median of admission NIHSS 17 points were enrolled in the study and 253 (29.1%) of them were diabetics. Recanalization was reached in 758 (87.3%) patients. Patients with good outcome (412, 47.5%) had lower median of GLY (6.5 versus 7.4 mmol/L, P < .0001) within the first 48 hours after MT. Similar results were found also in diabetics (8.1 versus 9.6 mmol/L, P < .0001) and in patients with achieved recanalization (6.5 versus 7.5 mmol/L, P < .0001). Multivariate regression analysis with adjustment for potential confounders showed median of GLY (P = .0001, odds ratio: 0.830, 95% confidence interval: 0.755-0.913) as a predictor of good outcome after MT. CONCLUSION: Lower levels of GLY within the first 48 hours after MT may be associated with better functional outcome after 3 months.

Acute combined revascularization in acute ischemic stroke with intracranial arterial occlusion: self-expanding solitaire stent during intravenous thrombolysis.

PURPOSE: To investigate the safety and efficacy of the self-expanding Solitaire stent used during intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) for intracranial arterial occlusion (IAO) in acute ischemic stroke (AIS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Consecutive nonselected patients with AIS with IAO documented on computed tomographic angiography or magnetic resonance angiography and treated with IVT were included in this prospective study. Stent intervention was initiated and performed during administration of IVT without waiting for any clinical or radiologic signs of potential recanalization. Stroke severity was assessed by National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), and 90-day clinical outcome was assessed by modified Rankin scale (mRS), with a good outcome defined as an mRS score of 0-2. Recanalization was rated by thrombolysis in cerebral infarction (TICI) scale. RESULTS: Fifty patients (mean age, 66.8 y ± 14.6) had a baseline median NIHSS score of 18.0. Overall recanalization was achieved in 94% of patients, and complete recanalization (ie, TICI 3 flow) was achieved in 72% of patients. The mean time from stroke onset to maximal recanalization was 244.2 minutes ± 87.9, with a median of 232.5 minutes. The average number of device passes was 1.5, with a mean procedure time to maximal recanalization of 49.5 minutes ± 13.0. Symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage occurred in 6% of patients. The median mRS score at 90 days was 1, and 60% of patients had a good outcome (ie, mRS score 0-2). The overall 3-month mortality rate was 14%. CONCLUSIONS: Combined revascularization with the Solitaire stent during IVT appears to be safe and effective in the treatment of acute IAO.

Estimating the radiation dose to the fetus during prophylactic internal iliac occlusion in patients with abnormal placentation.

AIMS: To evaluate the estimated fetal radiation dose during prophylactic internal iliac arterial occlusion in patients with abnormal placenta and to estimate the risk of radiation induced cancer in child age. METHODS: Prophylactic occlusion of the internal iliac arteries during Caesarean section was performed in 42 patients with placenta praevia and/or placenta accreta spectrum. Fogarty embolectomy catheters were used for prophylactic occlusion of the internal iliac arteries. All procedures were performed in the hybrid operating room using Philips Allura Xper FD 20 X-ray system. Low dose X-ray fluoroscopy (7.5 frames per second) was used. The CODE (Conceptus dose estimation) Software was used to estimate the fetal dose and the risk of radiation induced carcinoma. RESULTS: Fluoroscopy times required for insertion of Fogarty catheters were 0.5-4.2 min (mean: 1.7 min, median: 1.5 min). The estimated radiation dose to the fetus was 0.26-3.36 mGy (mean: 1.49 mGy, median: 1.25 mGy). The risk of radiation induced cancer in child age was 0.01-0.04% (mean 0.02%, median 0.01%). One patient developed thrombosis of a common femoral artery. CONCLUSION: Prophylactic occlusion of the internal iliac arteries is a simple and safe procedure with minimal risk of complications and with a very low estimated radiation dose to the fetus.

Impact of blood pressure levels within first 24 hours after mechanical thrombectomy on clinical outcome in acute ischemic stroke patients.

INTRODUCTION: Despite early management and technical success of mechanical thrombectomy (MT) for acute ischemic stroke (AIS), not all patients reach a good clinical outcome. Different factors may have an impact and we aimed to evaluate blood pressure (BP) levels in the first 24 hours after MT. METHODS: Consecutive AIS patients treated with MT were enrolled in the retrospective bi-center study. Neurological deficit was assessed with National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and functional outcome after 3 months with modified Rankin scale (mRS) with a score 0-2 for good outcome. The presence of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (SICH) was assessed according to the SITS-MOST criteria. RESULTS: Of 703 treated patients, completed BP levels were collected in 690 patients (350 males, mean age 71±13 years) with median of admission NIHSS 17 points. Patients with mRS 0-2 had a lower median of systolic BP (SBP) compared with those with poor outcome (131 vs 140 mm Hg, P<0.0001). The rate of SICH did not differ between the patients with a median of SBP <140 mm Hg and ≥140 mm Hg. (5.1% vs 5.1%, P=0.980). Multivariate regression analysis with adjustment for potential confounders showed a median of distolic BP (P=0.024, OR: 0.977, 95% CI: 0.957 to 0.997) as a predictor of good functional outcome after MT, and a median of maximal SBP (P=0.038; OR: 0.990, 95% CI: 0.981 to 0.999) in the patients with achieved recanalization. CONCLUSION: Lowering of BP within the first 24 hours after MT may have a positive impact on clinical outcome in treated patients.

Mechanical Thrombectomy in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke on Anticoagulation Therapy.

INTRODUCTION/PURPOSE: Mechanical thrombectomy (MT) for acute ischemic stroke (IS) can be performed also in patients on anticoagulation therapy (AT); however, sufficient and reliable data about safety and efficacy of MT are still missing. Thus, we aimed to compare these parameters between patients treated on AT and without AT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All consecutive IS patients treated with MT using stent retrievers were included in the retrospective analysis. Neurological deficit was scored using National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and 90-day clinical outcome using modified Rankin scale with a score 0-2 for good outcome. Recanalization was rated using Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction (TICI) scale. Symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (SICH) was assessed according to the SITS-MOST criteria. RESULTS: Out of 703 patients treated with MT, 88 (12.5%) patients (46% males, mean age 75.5 ± 11.8 years) were on AT with an admission median NIHSS of 17 points. Recanalization (TICI 2b-3) was achieved in 80% and complete (TICI 3) in 65% of patients on AT and in 80 and 65% of patients without AT (p-1.000). SICH after MT was detected in 9% of AT and 5% of non-AT patients (p-0.136). Good outcome was present in 36% of AT patients (p-0.03). AT patients with poor outcome had more frequently atrial fibrillation (93%, p-0.005), higher admission NIHSS (17, p-0.004) and higher rate of SICH (14.5%, p-0.047). CONCLUSION: MT seems to be safe also in patients on AT. Poor outcome may be related to higher admission NIHSS, higher rate of SICH and presence of atrial fibrillation.

Spontaneous splenic rupture in a patient with acute promyelocytic leukaemia during induction chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APL) is a subtype of acute myeloid leukaemia with high curability rates. However, it is often accompanied by severe coagulopathy and bleeding risk and thus represents a potentially fatal haematological emergency requiring immediate treatment. Spontaneous splenic rupture is a rare event in all haematological malignancies. Only two clinical cases have been described so far in a setting of APL. CASE REPORT: We report a patient with APL without preceding splenomegaly who underwent urgent splenectomy for spontaneously occurring splenic rupture during induction chemotherapy. After surgery the patient completed induction chemotherapy and achieved complete remission. CONCLUSION: This is the second case of spontaneous splenic rupture without preceding splenomegaly in a patient with APL during induction chemotherapy described so far. Our case demonstrates that emergent splenectomy can be lifesaving even in the unfavourable condition of patient with severe immune deficiency.