3.Staged Approach for Stent-Assisted Coiling of Cerebral Aneurysms after Failure of Initial Intra-Saccular Catheterization
Abdulrahman Hamad AL-ABDULWAHHAB ; Deok Hee LEE ; Yunsun SONG ; Dae Chul SUH
Neurointervention 2021;16(1):46-51
Purpose:
Microcatheter navigation into an aneurysm sac can present difficulties through negative interactions between the deployed stent mesh and microcatheter. We hypothesized that endothelialization of the stent mesh would minimize these interactions. We aimed to assess the feasibility of staged coiling after stenting by reviewing our experiences with unavoidably staged embolization cases.
Materials and Methods:
Between 2011 and 2019, 7 patients (mean age 57.2 years, range 49–76 years) including 5 females, experienced 9 unruptured aneurysms treated with staged stenting and coiling due to unstable microcatheter navigation into the aneurysm after stent placement. The aneurysms were in the paraclinoid internal carotid artery (ICA) (n=3), ophthalmic origin ICA (n=1), superior cerebellar artery origin (n=2), basilar tip (n=2), and the middle cerebral artery bifurcation (n=1). The stents used were the Neuroform Atlas (n=4), Neuroform EZ (n=2), and Low-profile Visualized Intraluminal Support Blue (n=1).
Results:
The mean interval between stenting and coiling was 15 weeks (range, 12–21 weeks). The average navigation time between the first roadmap imaging and microcatheter insertion in the sac was 14 minutes (range, 8–20 minutes). One aneurysm was occluded without further coiling on follow-up. Staged coiling successfully treated the remaining aneurysms (n=8). No complications were identified.
Conclusion
In cases of difficult intra-saccular catheterization, intentional staged coiling may be a feasible option for stent-assisted coiling of the cerebral aneurysms.
4.Low-Dose 3D Rotational Angiography in Measuring the Size of Intracranial Aneurysm: In Vitro Feasibility Study Using Aneurysm Phantom
Hee Jong KI ; Bum-soo KIM ; Jun-Ki KIM ; Jai Ho CHOI ; Yong Sam SHIN ; Yangsean CHOI ; Na-Young SHIN ; Jinhee JANG ; Kook-jin AHN
Neurointervention 2021;16(1):59-63
Purpose:
Three-dimensional (3D) measurement of intracranial aneurysms is important in planning endovascular treatment, and 3D rotational angiography (RA) is effective in accurate measurement. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of low dose 3D RA (5 seconds 0.10 μGy/frame) in measuring an intracranial aneurysm using an in vitro phantom.
Materials and Methods:
We investigated an in vitro 3D phantom of an intracranial aneurysm with 10 acquisitions of 3D RA with a conventional dose (5 seconds 0.36 μGy/frame) and 10 acquisitions with a low-dose (5 seconds 0.10 μGy/frame). 3D size and neck diameters of the aneurysm were measured and compared between the 2 groups (conventional and low-dose) using noninferiority statistics.
Results:
The aneurysm measurements were well-correlated between the 2 readers, and noninferiority in the measurement of aneurysmal size of low-dose 3D RA was demonstrated, as the upper margin of the 1-sided 97.5% confidence interval did not cross the pre-defined noninferiority margin of 0.2 mm by the 2 readers.
Conclusion
Low-dose (5 seconds 0.10 μGy/frame) cerebral 3D RA is technically feasible and not inferior in in vitro 3D measurement of an intracranial aneurysm. Thus, low-dose 3D RA is promising and needs further evaluation for its clinical utility in the planning of endovascular treatment of an intracranial aneurysm.
5.Trends in Utilization of Preoperative Embolization for Spinal Metastases: A Study of the National Inpatient Sample 2005–2017
Waseem WAHOOD ; Alex Yohan ALEXANDER ; Yagiz Ugur YOLCU ; Waleed BRINJIKJI ; David F. KALLMES ; Giuseppe LANZINO ; Mohamad BYDON
Neurointervention 2021;16(1):52-58
Purpose:
While previous studies have suggested that preoperative embolization of hypervascular spinal metastases may alleviate intraoperative blood loss and improve resectability, trends and driving factors for choosing this approach have not been extensively explored. Therefore, we evaluated the trends and assessed the factors associated with preoperative embolization utilization for spinal metastatic tumors using a national inpatient database.
Materials and Methods:
The National Inpatient Sample database of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project was queried for patients undergoing surgical resection for spinal metastasis between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2017. Patients undergoing preoperative embolization were identified; trends in the utilization of preoperative embolization were analyzed using the Cochran-Armitage test. Multivariable regression was conducted to assess factors associated with higher preoperative embolization utilization.
Results:
A total of 11,508 patients with spinal metastasis were identified; 105 (0.91%) underwent preoperative embolization. Of those 105 patients, 79 (75.24%) patients had a primary renal cancer, as compared to 1,732 (15.19%) of those who did not undergo preoperative embolization (P<0.001). The majority of patients in the non-preoperative embolization cohort had a primary lung tumor (n=3,562, 31.24%). Additionally, patient comorbidities were similar among the 2 groups (P>0.05). Trends in preoperative embolization indicated an increase of 0.16% (standard error: 0.024%, P<0.001) in utilization per year.
Conclusion
Utilization of preoperative embolization for spinal metastasis is increasing yearly, especially for patients with renal cancer, suggesting that surgeons may increasingly consider embolization before surgical resection for hypervascular tumors. Additionally, the literature has shown the intraoperative and postoperative benefits of this procedure.
6.Metagenomics Analysis of Thrombus Samples Retrieved from Mechanical Thrombectomy
Atulabh VAJPEYEE ; Puneet Singh CHAUHAN ; Swapnil PANDEY ; Shivam TIWARI ; Lokendra Bahadur YADAV ; Akhilesh Kumar SHROTI ; Manisha VAJPEYEE
Neurointervention 2021;16(1):39-45
Purpose:
The purpose of this study was to assess the microbiota in middle cerebral artery thrombi retrieved in mechanical thrombectomy arising out of symptomatic carotid plaque within 6 hours of acute ischemic stroke. Thrombi were subjected to next-generation sequencing for a bacterial signature to determine their role in atherosclerosis.
Materials and Methods:
We included 4 human middle cerebral artery thrombus samples (all patients were male). The median age for the patients was 51±13.6 years. Patients enrolled in the study from Pacific Medical University and Hospital underwent mechanical thrombectomy in the stroke window period. All patients underwent brain magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) and circle of Willis and neck vessel MRA along with the standard stroke workup to establish stroke etiology. Only patients with symptomatic carotid stenosis and tandem lesions with ipsilateral middle cerebral artery occlusion were included in the study. Thrombus samples were collected, stored at –80 degrees, and subjected to metagenomics analysis.
Results:
Of the 4 patients undergoing thrombectomy for diagnosis with ischemic stroke, all thrombi recovered for bacterial DNA in qPCR were positive. More than 27 bacteria were present in the 4 thrombus samples. The majority of bacteria were Lactobacillus, Stenotrophomonas, Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus, and Finegoldia.
Conclusion
Genesis of symptomatic atherosclerotic carotid plaque leading to thromboembolism could be either due to direct mechanisms like acidification and local inflammation of plaque milieu with lactobacillus, biofilm dispersion leading to inflammation like with pseudomonas fluorescence, or enterococci or indirect mechanisms like Toll 2 like signaling by gut microbiota.
8.Pull-Through Buddy Wire Technique for Endovascular Thrombectomy in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke: Technical Note
Pin-Yi CHIANG ; Yen-Heng LIN ; Yu-Cheng HUANG ; Chung-Wei LEE
Neurointervention 2021;16(1):64-69
Excessive tortuosity is a notable cause of failed endovascular thrombectomy for acute large-vessel occlusion stroke. Transcervical access (TCA) is a commonly proposed solution for overcoming this difficulty. However, the large-bore catheter usually used in TCA increases the risk of serious local complications. This paper presents a modified technique for TCA that uses a pull-through buddy wire (PTBW) to track a large-bore femoral guiding sheath (GS) into the carotid artery via a small carotid puncture site. The carotid puncture site can be easily managed through gentle manual compression. Two illustrative cases using this technique to deal with a large aortic arch and tortuous left common carotid artery are reported. In both cases, recanalization was achieved after successful GS placement. Using a PTBW is feasible in TCA.
9.Lessons Learned from a Fulminant Case of Reversible Cerebral Vasoconstriction Syndrome: Past Medical History Misleads the Diagnosis and Intra-Arterial Milrinone Offers Diagnostic Utility
Paul J ALAPATT ; Ajay PANWAR ; Gigy Varkey KURUTTUKULAM ; Kaushik SUNDAR
Neurointervention 2021;16(1):78-82
A 34-year-old post-partum female having dermatomyositis developed headache and became comatose after a seizure episode. Magnetic resonance imaging of brain showed a massive left ganglio-capsular bleed for which decompressive surgery was done. Computed tomographic angiography showed multiple foci of narrowing and irregularities in distal cerebral vessels. In view of dermatomyositis, the diagnosis of vasculitis was considered and pulse therapy of intravenous methylprednisolone was started. The patient, however, showed no improvement and developed new brain infarcts. She was subsequently taken up for a diagnostic cerebral angiography which showed multifocal severe narrowing in bilateral major cerebral arteries. These angiographic abnormalities showed excellent reversibility to intra-arterial milrinone and hence, reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS) was diagnosed. Normal angiographic findings in the first week do not rule out the disease and a repeat angiography should be considered if the clinical suspicion of the RCVS is high. Intra-arterial milrinone has a high diagnostic utility.
10.Obesity and Stroke: Does the Paradox Apply for Stroke?
Gabriel A QUIÑONES-OSSA ; Carolina LOBO ; Ezequiel GARCIA-BALLESTAS ; William A FLOREZ ; Luis Rafael MOSCOTE-SALAZAR ; Amit AGRAWAL
Neurointervention 2021;16(1):9-19
Historically, obesity has been identified as one of the most important risk factors for developing cardiovascular diseases including stroke; however, a theory called “The Obesity Paradox” has been recently considered. The paradoxical theory is that obese or overweight patients (according to body mass index score) can have better outcomes compared to leaner or malnourished patients. The paradox was initially discovered in patients with heart failure. The purpose of this manuscript was to investigate whether this paradox also applies to stroke patients, according to information available in the current literature.