Rescue stent implantation for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke: initial experience in 13 patients / 介入放射学杂志

Objective To evaluate the safety and efficacy of stent implantation used as a rescue measure for acute ischemic stroke.Methods The clinical data of 13 patients with acute ischemic stroke caused by large artery occlusion of anterior c erebral circulation that occurred within 8 hours before clinical visit,who had received rescue stent implantation at authors' hospital,were retrospectively analyzed.Before stent implantation,all patients failed to respond to other recanalization treatments,including intravenous thrombolysis,intra-arterial thrombolysis,mechanical thrombec tomy with Penumbra device,and Solitaire stent thrombectomy.Angiography was performed immediately after stent implantation.Vascular recanalization condition was evaluated with blood flow grading that was based on thrombolysis in cerebral infarction (TICI) criterion.Perioperative bleeding and complications were recorded.National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score was used to assess the improvement of neurological function at one week after operation.Modified Rankin scale (mRS) score was used to evaluate the prognosis at 3 months after operation.Results A total of 16 stents were implanted in 13 patients.Before stent implantation,thrombectomy by using Solitaire retrievable stent was employed in 10 patients,mechanical thrombectomy with Penumbra device was adopted in 3 patients,intravenous thrombolysis with urokinase was used in one patient,and intra-arterial thrombolysis with urokinase was conducted in one patient.After stent implantation,partial or complete recanalization was achieved in 12 patients (TICI≥2b/3).NIHSS score was improved from preoperative (16.15±5.81) points to postoperative (8.08±5.61) points,the difference was statistically significant (P＜0.05).Three months after stenting treatment,good prognosis (mRS ≤2) was obtained in 7 patients (53.8％) and 2 patients died.Intracranial hemorrhage occurred in 2 patients and procedure-related embolism was observed in 3 patients.Conclusion For the treatment of acute ischemic stroke,intracranial stenting angioplasty,used as a rescue measure for thrombolytic therapy with different combinations of drugs,is safe and effective.

Recanalization of Acute Intracranial Artery Occlusion Using Temporary Endovascular Bypass Technique / 신경중재치료의학

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to present our preliminary experience of the temporary endovascular bypass (TEB) technique using an Enterprise stent for recanalization of acute intracranial artery (IA) occlusion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients treated by TEB were enrolled in this retrospective study from January 2009 to May 2010. All the procedures consist of temporary partial deployment and subsequent retrieval of Enterprise stent, supplemented by intra-arterial infusion of urokinase (UK) and/or tirofiban. According to the thrombolysis in cerebral infarction (TICI) classification, recanalization was evaluated with initial and postprocedural angiography. Safety was evaluated related to the procedure and clinical outcomes were assessed by National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score at discharge and modified Rankin scale (mRS) score at 3 months. RESULTS: Eleven patients (median NIHSS 12.8, mean age 61.6 years, male: female = 8:3) with acute IA occlusion were treated with TEB. All the patients presented with TICI 0, and the occluded vessel was the middle cerebral artery (n=7), the basilar artery (n=1), and the distal ICA occlusion (n = 3). IV infusion of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) was done in 4 patients and mechanical thrombolysis with intra-arterial UK was performed in 9. Recanalization was achieved in 73% (8 patients; TICI > or = 2). There were no procedure-related complications except for two asymptomatic intracranial hemorrhages. Improvement (> or = 4 points on the NIHSS) and good outcome (mRS < or =2) after 90 days was shown in six patients (55%). One patient died 6 days after procedure. CONCLUSION: TEB may be a valuable treatment option in acute thromboembolic IA occlusion without stent implantation.

Critical Use of Balloon Angioplasty after Recanalization Failure with Retrievable Stent in Acute Cerebral Artery Occlusion

OBJECTIVE: Sudden major cerebral artery occlusion often resists recanalization with currently available techniques or can results in massive symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) after thrombolytic therapy. The purpose of this study was to examine mechanical recanalization with a retrievable self-expanding stent and balloon in acute intracranial artery occlusions. METHODS: Twenty-eight consecutive patients with acute intracranial artery occlusions were treated with a Solitaire retrievable stent. Balloon angioplasty was added if successful recanalization was not achieved after stent retrieval. The angiographic outcome was assessed by Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction (TICI) and the clinical outcomes were assessed by the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and the modified Rankin Scale (mRS). RESULTS: At baseline, mean age was 69.4 years and mean initial NIHSS score was 12.5. A recanalization to TICI 2 or 3 was achieved in 24 patients (85%) after stent retrieval. Successful recanalization was achieved after additional balloon angioplasty in 4 patients. At 90-day follow-up, 24 patients (85%) had a NIHSS improvement of > or =4 and 17 patients (60%) had a good outcome (mRS < or =2). Although there was sICH, there was one death associated with the procedure. CONCLUSION: Mechanical thromboembolectomy with a retrievable stent followed by additional balloon angioplasty is a safe and effective first-line therapy for acute intracranial artery occlusions especially in case of unsuccessful recanalization after stent thrombectomy.

Retrievable stent filter placement for the treatment of Budd-Chiari syndrome complicated with inferior vena cava thrombosis: its mid-term results / 介入放射学杂志

Objective To investigate the mid-term efficacy of retrievable stent filter placement for the treatment of Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) complicated with inferior vena cava (IVC) thrombosis. Methods Eight patients of BCS complicated with IVC thrombosis were enrolled in this study. IVC thrombosis included segmental occlusion (n = 2) and membranous occlusion (n = 6). In all patients, the IVC was re-canalized by using blunt wire after anticoagulation and thrombolytic therapy, then, the re-canalized site was expanded with small balloon, which was followed by the placement of retrievable stent filter, and, finally, IVC size was dilated with larger balloon. Anticoagulation and thrombolytic therapy was given after the procedure. And all the retrievable stent filters were withdrawn from the IVC through internal jugular vein when the thrombus in IVC was dissolved. In patients with segmental occlusion of IVC, in addition to the placement of retrievable stent filter a "Z" type vessel stent was also placed during the same interventional session. Follow-up examination with color Doppler sonography was conducted in all patients. Results Technical success was achieved in all 8 patients without pulmonary infarction or other complications both during and after the operation. Immediately after the thrombus completely disappeared, the retrievable stent filter was successfully taken out in all patients. During a following-up period of 3-12 months, color Doppler sonographs showed that the IVC remained patent in 6 patients and had a recurrence of stenosis in 2 patients. Conclusion Placement of retrievable stent filter is a safe and effective treatment for BCS complicated with IVC thrombosis.