Effectiveness of Anchoring with Balloon Guide Catheter and Stent Retriever in Difficult Mechanical Thrombectomy for Large Vessel Occlusion

Objective@#: A distal navigation of a large bore aspiration catheter during mechanical thrombectomy (MT) is important. However, delivering a large bore aspiration catheter is difficult to a tortuous or atherosclerotic artery. We report the experience of anchoring with balloon guide catheter (BGC) and stent retriever to facilitate the passage of an aspiration catheter in MT. @*Methods@#: When navigating an aspiration catheter failed with a conventional co-axial microcatheter delivery, an anchoring technique was used. Two types of anchoring technique were applied to facilitate distal navigation of a large bore aspiration catheter during MT. First, a passage of aspiration catheter was attempted with a proximal BGC anchoring technique. If this technique also failed, another anchoring technique with distal stent retriever was tried. Consecutive patients who underwent MT with an anchoring technique were identified. Details of procedure, radiologic outcomes, and safety variables were evaluated. @*Results@#: A total of 67 patients underwent MT with an anchoring technique. Initial trial of aspiration catheter passage with proximal BGC anchoring technique was successful for 35 patients (52.2%) and the second trial with distal stent retriever anchoring was successful for 32 patients (47.8%). Overall, navigation of a large bore aspiration catheter was successful for all patients (100%) without any procedure related complications. @*Conclusion@#: Our study showed the usefulness of anchoring technique with proximal BGC and distal stent retriever during MT, especially in those with an unfavorable anatomical structure. This technique could be an alternative option for delivering an of aspiration catheter to a distal location

Distribution Analysis of Cerebral Microbleeds in Alzheimer's Disease and Cerebral Infarction with Susceptibility Weighted MR Imaging

BACKGROUND: Cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) reflect cerebral small vessel disease and has a pathological role in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and stroke according to their distribution. We investigated to determine whether association of CMBs distribution in Korean patients with AD and cerebral infarction by susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) which is a most sensitive magnetic resonance imaging technique for enhanced detection and localization of CMBs. METHODS: Seventy-one patients (AD 30, recent cerebral infarction 21, control 20) were included and 1.5 Tesla SWI was used to image. The Microbleed Anatomical Rating Scale (MARS) was used to localize each CMBs distribution (lobar versus basal ganglia/thalamus [deep], and infratentorial). RESULTS: The prevalence of CMBs was higher in AD and cerebral infarction than controls (p=0.004). Predilection of the total CMBs (n=71) were in order of lobar, basal ganglia/thalamus (deep), and infratentorial region (p=0.029). There was only significant predilection of CMBs in basal ganglia/thalamus (deep) region in cerebral infarction compared with AD (p=0.037) and controls (p=0.011). However, predilection of CMBs in lobar region than infratentorial region (p=0.019) in AD, and predilection of CMBs in basal ganglia/thalamus (deep) region than infratentorial region (p=0.033) in cerebral infarction were significant. Hypertension, a strong risk factor for hypertensive angiopathy was not significant in contributing CMBs prevalence in three groups even though the incidence of hypertension was higher in cerebral infarction than AD and controls. CONCLUSION: Characteristic predilection pattern of CMBs distribution between AD and cerebral infarction through SWI might provide an imaging biomarker for differentiation between dementia due to cerebrovascular disease and cerebral degenerative disorders.

Surgery for Bilateral Large Intracranial Traumatic Hematomas: Evacuation in a Single Session

OBJECTIVE: Management guidelines for single intracranial hematomas have been established, but the optimal management of multiple hematomas has little known. We present bilateral traumatic supratentorial hematomas that each has enough volume to be evacuated and discuss how to operate effectively it in a single anesthesia. METHODS: In total, 203 patients underwent evacuation and/or decompressive craniectomies for acute intracranial hematomas over 5 years. Among them, only eight cases (3.9%) underwent operations for bilateral intracranial hematomas in a single session. Injury mechanism, initial Glasgow Coma Scale score, types of intracranial lesions, surgical methods, and Glasgow outcome scale were evaluated. RESULTS: The most common injury mechanism was a fall (four cases). The types of intracranial lesions were epidural hematoma (EDH)/intracerebral hematoma (ICH) in five, EDH/EDH in one, EDH/subdural hematoma (SDH) in one, and ICH/SDH in one. All cases except one had an EDH. The EDH was addressed first in all cases. Then, the evacuation of the ICH was performed through a small craniotomy or burr hole. All patients except one survived. CONCLUSION: Bilateral intracranial hematomas that should be removed in a single-session operation are rare. Epidural hematomas almost always occur in these cases and should be removed first to prevent the hematoma from growing during the surgery. Then, the other hematoma, contralateral to the EDH, can be evacuated with a small craniotomy.

Anomalous Origin of the Vertebral Artery From the Internal Carotid Artery

No abstract available.

A Case of Scopolamine-Induced Central Anticholinergic Syndrome / 영남의대학술지

Central anticholinergic syndrome occurs when an anticholinergic substance works in vivo or as a result of the insufficient release of acetylcholine. Its symptoms include confusion, agitation, behavioral change, hallucination, blurred vision, and dysarthria. Occasionally, these symptoms occur with the use of a scopolamine patch. A 54-year-old female complained of behavioral change and confused mentality. She attached a scopolamine patch at the postauricular area in the morning of the day before her hospital visit. Neurological examination revealed bilateral symmetric mydriasis without light reflex. The brain MRI was normal, and electroencephalography showed nonspecific abnormalities. The patient recovered completely after the removal of the scopolamine patch.

Open Surgical Evacuation of Spontaneous Putaminal Hematomas: Prognostic Factors and Comparison of Outcomes between Transsylvian and Transcortical Approaches

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors affecting the surgical outcome and to compare the surgical results between transsylvian and transcortical approaches in patients with putaminal hematomas. METHODS: Retrospective review of charts and CT scan images was conducted in 45 patients (20 transsylvian and 25 transcortical approaches) who underwent open surgical evacuation of putaminal hematomas. Mean Glasgow coma scale (GCS) score and hematoma volume were 7.5+/-3.2 and 78.1+/-29.3 cc, respectively. The factors affecting the functional mortality were investigated using a multivariate logistic regression analysis. In addition, surgical results between transsylvian and transcortical approaches were compared. RESULTS: None of the patients had a good recovery after the surgery. Overall functional survival rate and mortality were 37.7% and 31%, respectively. The only risk factor for functional mortality was GCS motor score after controlling age, history of hypertension, side of hematoma, hematoma amount, midline shift, presence of intraventricular hemorrhage and surgical approach (p=0.005). Even though a transcortical approach was shorter in operative time (4.4 versus 5.1 hour) and showed a higher mortality rate (40% versus 20%) and lower functional survival (45% versus 35%) compared to the transsylvian approach, the differences were not statistically significant between the two groups. CONCLUSION: In patients who have large amounts of hematoma and require open surgical evacuation, the only significant risk factor for functional survival is the preoperative GCS score. Cortical incision methods such as transsylvian and transcortical approaches have no influence on the surgical outcome. To decompress the swollen brain rapidly, transcortical approach seems to be more suitable than transsylvian approach.