Efectos de las maniobras cervicales en el flujo arterial vertebral extracraneal en pacientes con insuficiencia vertebrobasilar / Effects of the cervical maneuvers in the vertebral extracraneal arterial flow in patients with vertebrobasilar failure

Se realizó un estudio cuasiexperimental de 52 pacientes con insuficiencia vertebrobasilar, atendidos en el Hospital General Docente "Dr. Juan Bruno Zayas Alfonso" de Santiago de Cuba, desde septiembre hasta marzo del 2014, a fin de determinar los efectos de las maniobras de rotación cervical en el flujo sanguíneo a nivel de las arterias vertebrales extracraneales. Entre las variables analizadas figuraron: edad, sexo, maniobra de rotación cervical y velocidad diastólica final. Se emplearon la media y las proporciones como medidas de resumen, así como la prueba estadística de Ji al cuadrado de Friedman, con un nivel de significación de 0,05. Predominaron los afectados de 45-54 años en ambos sexos. Las maniobras de rotación cervical condujeron a una disminución en la velocidad diastólica final de las arterias vertebrales y redujeron el flujo sanguíneo arterial vertebral extracraneal.

A quasi-experimental study of 52 patients with vertebrobasilar failure, assisted in "Dr. Juan Bruno Zayas Alfonso" Teaching General Hospital in Santiago de Cuba was carried out from September to March, 2014, in order to determine the effects of the cervical rotation maneuvers in the blood flow at the level of the extracraneal vertebral arteries. Among the analyzed variables there were: age, sex, maneuver of cervical rotation and final diastolic speed. The mean and proportions were used as summary measures, as well as the Friedman statistical Chi squared test, with a significance level of 0,05. The 45-54 years affected patients prevailed in both sexes. The cervical rotation maneuvers led to a decrease in the final diastolic speed of the vertebral arteries and reduced the extracraneal vertebral arterial blood flow.

Treatment of symptomatic vertebrobasilar artery stenosis with stent-assistant angioplasty in the elderly

OBJECTIVE: To study the efficacy, safety, and feasibility of stent-assistant angioplasty (SAA) in the treatment of symptomatic vertebrobasilar artery stenosis in the elderly. METHODS: SAA was performed in 26 elderly patients with symptomatic vertebrobasilar artery stenosis. The success rate, perioperative complications, and long-term effectiveness were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 29 balloon expandable stents were implanted in these patients. The success ratio was 100%. The degree of stenosis decreased from 81.3 ± 8.8% to 3.7 ± 3.6% (p < 0.01). Complications were absent during the perioperative period. Follow-up was performed for seven to 36 months (median: 21.9 months). Two patients developed the recurrent symptoms of vertebrobasilar artery stenosis, and no cerebral ischemic events were noted in the remaining patients, suggesting a favorable outcome. CONCLUSION: SAA is a safe and effective strategy for the treatment of symptomatic vertebrobasilar artery stenosis in the elderly.

Use of Self-Expanding Stents for the Treatment of Vertebral Artery Ostial Stenosis: a Single Center Experience

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate our early experience using self-expanding stents to treat atherosclerotic vertebral artery ostial stenosis (VAOS), with respect to technical feasibility and clinical and imaging follow-up results. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 20 lesions in 20 patients underwent stenting of the VAOS using a self-expanding stent (Precise RX; Cordis Neurovascular, Miami Lakes, FL). Two patients were asymptomatic. We analyzed the technical success rate, causes of technical failure, occurrence of any vascular or neurological event, and the occurrence of any neurological abnormality or in-stent restenosis (ISR) seen on follow-up. The imaging follow-up was performed with Doppler ultrasound (DUS) as a primary screening modality. RESULTS: One instance of technical failure was caused by failure of the guidewire passage. The stent diameter was 5 mm, and post-stenting balloon dilatations were necessary in all cases. Stent misplacement requiring placement of an additional stent occurred in four cases. Following a 14.8 month average clinical follow-up time, two patients showed anterior circulation ischemia, which was not attributed to the VAOS we treated. Following a 13.7 month average DUS follow-up, five patients showed a mild degree of diffuse or focal intimal thickening in the stent lumen; however, none of the stenosis showed luminal loss of more than 50% and no stent fracture was noted. CONCLUSION: The use of self-expanding stents for treating VAOS was technically feasible and helped to improve artery patency during our limited follow-up interval.

Trombolisis intraarterial en trombosis de la arteria basilar: recuperación de dos pacientes con sÝndrome de enclaustramiento / Intra-arterial thrombolysis in locked-in syndrome: report of two cases

Locked-in syndrome is a dramatic clinical condition, the patient is awake, can listen and breath, but is unable to move any muscle, conserving only the vertical eye movements. The most common cause of locked-in syndrome is the thrombosis of the basilar artery and commonly leads to death, frequently due to pneumonia. Intravenous and intra arterial thrombolysis have been used successfully in a selective group of patients with ischemic stroke. There is only one report of two patients with locked-in syndrome who were treated successfully with intra arterial thrombolysis. Other authors, based in their experiences, do not recommend this treatment. We report two female patients aged 63 and 26 years, with Locked-in syndrome due to a basilar thrombosis who were treated successfully with intra arterial thrombolysis using ecombinant tissue plasminogen activator (r-TPA). The lapses between the onset of the symptoms and thrombolysis were 5 and 8 hours respectively. A complete recanalization was obtained in both patients during the thrombolysis. One year after, the first patient has only a moderate ataxia, walking with assistance and the other has a normal neurological examination (Rev MÚd Chile 2004; 132: 357-60 ).

Vertebrobasilar strokes in children

This study describes the rare disorder of vertebrobasilar strokes in children and provides an assessment strategy to alert the clinician towards the possibility of this disorder. Method: A retrospective study of vertebrobasilar strokes over 20 years was conducted in the Neurology Department at the New Children's Hospital, Sydney, Australia. There were 6 males and 3 females between the ages of 18 months and 15 years. Frequently presenting features included headache, hemiparesis, ataxia and cranial nerve palsies. Aphasia occurred in 2 and afebrile seizures in 1 patient. Five patients had depressed consciousness extending to coma in 3. Etiological factors included trauma to the head or neck in 5, rheumatic endocarditis with artificial valve embolism in 1, brain stem encephalitis in 1 and undetermined etiology in 2. Diagnostic neuroimaging studies including MRI showed infarction in the territories of the occluded arteries. MRA showed occlusion of the vertebral artery and/or its branches in 5 patients, while the other 4 patients had involvement of the basilar artery and/or its branches. No abnormalities of blood coagulation were detected. Five patients were treated with anticoagulants. Acute hydrocephalus secondary to cerebellar infarction developed in 3 patients. Recurrent vertebrobasilar strokes were reported in 2 males, each of whom was treated surgically. There was 1 late death. Residual neurological deficits were seen in 5 patients and 3 made a complete recovery. Although this disorder is rare in pediatric patients, it is important to consider it in those children with appropriate neurological symptoms and signs

Insuficiência vértebro-basilar / Vertebrobasilar insufficiency

Apresenta considerações sobre a insuficiência vértebro-basilar, diagnóstico e terapêutica