Advances in the Endovascular Management of Cerebrovascular Disease.

The field of endovascular neurosurgery has experienced remarkable progress over the last few decades. Endovascular treatments have continued to gain traction as the advancement of technology, technique, and procedural safety has allowed for the expansion of treatment indications of various cerebrovascular pathologies. Interventions such as the coiling of intracranial aneurysms, carotid artery stenting, mechanical thrombectomy in the setting of ischemic stroke, and endovascular embolization of arteriovenous malformations have all seen transformations in their safety and efficacy, expanding the scope of endovascularly treatable conditions and offering new hope to patients who may have otherwise not been candidates for surgical intervention. Despite this notable progress, challenges persist, including complications associated with device deployment and questions regarding long-term outcomes. This article explores the advancements in endovascular neurosurgical techniques, highlighting the impact on patient care, outcomes, and the evolution of traditional surgical methods.

Impact of post-procedure stenosis on outcomes of patients with severe intracranial stenosis treated with intracranial stent placement.

BACKGROUND: The optimal target post-procedure stenosis after percutaneous angioplasty and stent placement (PTAS) for intracranial stenosis is unknown. We determined the effect of post-procedure stenosis after intracranial PTAS on subsequent clinical events in patients with severe symptomatic intracranial stenosis. METHODS: We categorized the severity of post-procedure stenosis as '<30%', '30-49%', and '≥50%' among 207 patients who underwent PTAS in a multicenter randomized clinical trial. Outcomes included stroke or death within 72 hours and within 30 days, ipsilateral stroke beyond 30 days of treatment, and stroke or death within 30 days or stroke in the qualifying artery beyond 30 days (primary endpoint of the trial). Cox proportional hazards analysis was performed with adjustments for age, initial severity of stenosis, location of stenosis, and qualifying event. Kaplan-Meier curves were generated for the primary endpoint stratified by post-procedure stenosis with log-rank analysis. RESULTS: The severity of post-procedure stenosis was categorized as <30%, 30-49%, and ≥50% in 112, 73, and 22 patients, respectively. Compared with patients with post-procedure stenosis <30%, there was no difference in the risk of primary endpoint among patients with post-procedure stenoses of 30-49% (hazards ratio (HR) 0.85, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.64 to 1.15) or those with ≥50% (HR 0.91, 95% CI 0.57 to 1.43). Log-rank analysis did not demonstrate a difference in rates of primary endpoint between groups stratified by post-procedure stenosis (P=0.70). CONCLUSION: In the absence of any benefit on short- and long-term outcomes, strategies to achieve a low severity of post-procedure stenosis among patients with severe intracranial stenosis may not be warranted.

Intra-arterial thrombolysis with tenecteplase for the treatment of cervical spinal cord ischemia: Technical case report.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, there have anecdotal reports of intra-arterial thrombolysis (IAT) for the treatment of spinal cord ischemia (SCI) with encouraging results. We describe a patient with acute cervical SCI who underwent IAT with Tenecteplase at our institution. CASE PRESENTATION: A 20-year-old man presented to the emergency department with a 12-hour history of progressive onset upper and lower extremity numbness, weakness, and urinary incontinence after sustaining a fall. MRI of cervical spine demonstrated T2 and STIR hyperintensity in the ventral aspect of the spinal cord spanning the C3, C4, and C5 levels suggestive of SCI. He demonstrated progression of neurologic deficits to C4 ASIA B spinal cord injury with complete loss of motor function, diminished sensation, and absent rectal tone. Emergent angiography was performed with prominent anterior spinal supply via the left ascending cervical artery. A total of 30 mg of Tenecteplase was administered intra-arterially in the bilateral vertebral arteries, bilateral ascending cervical arteries, and bilateral inferior thyroid arteries. Two-week post-intervention neurologic examination demonstrated improvement in injury level and severity. The patient was C6 ASIA C SCI, with 2/5 strength in the distal upper and lower extremities and improved sensation. CONCLUSION: IAT with Tenecteplase may be a feasible option for the treatment of acute spinal cord ischemia in carefully selected patients.

Risk of new cerebral ischemic events in patients with symptomatic internal carotid artery stenosis while awaiting carotid stent placement.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Although there is an emphasis on performing carotid artery stent (CAS) placement within 2 weeks after index event of transient ischemic attack (TIA) or minor stroke in patients with significant extracranial internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis, the risks and characteristics of recurrent cerebral ischemic event while waiting for CAS placement are not well defined. METHOD: We analyzed patients admitted to our institution over a 45-month period with symptomatic extracranial ICA stenosis. We identified any new cerebral ischemic events that occurred between index cerebral or retinal ischemic event and CAS placement and categorized them as TIA and minor or major ischemic strokes. We calculated the risk of new ipsilateral cerebral ischemic events between index cerebral or retinal ischemic event and CAS placement. RESULTS: The mean age of 131 patients analyzed was 67 years (range: 47-94 years; 92 were men), and 94 and 37 patients had 70%-99% and 50%-69% severity of stenosis, respectively. The mean and median time intervals between index cerebral or retinal ischemic event and CAS performance were 28 (standard deviation [SD] 30) and 7 (interquartile range 33) days, respectively. A total of 9 of 131 patients (6.9%, 95% confidence interval 2.5%-11.2%) experienced new cerebral ischemic events over 3637 patient days of observation. The risk of new ipsilateral cerebral ischemic events was 2.5 per 1000 patient days of observation. CONCLUSION: We estimated the risk of new ipsilateral cerebral ischemic events in patients with ICA stenosis ≥50% in severity while waiting for CAS placement to guide appropriate timing of procedure.

Mechanical thrombectomy in patients with acute ischemic stroke in the USA before and after time window expansion.

BACKGROUND: In 2018, the time window for mechanical thrombectomy eligibility in patients with acute ischemic stroke increased from within 6 hours to within 24 hours of symptom onset. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of window expansion on procedural and hospital volumes and patient outcomes at a national level. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients with acute ischemic stroke undergoing mechanical thrombectomy using data from the National Inpatient Sample. We compared the numbers of mechanical thrombectomy procedures and performing hospitals between 2017 and 2019 in the USA, and the proportion of patients discharged home/self-care, those with in-hospital mortality and post-procedural intracranial hemorrhage (2019 vs 2017) after adjustment for potential confounders. RESULTS: The number of patients with ischemic stroke who underwent mechanical thrombectomy increased from 16 960 in 2017 to 28 120 in 2019. There was an increase in the number of hospitals performing mechanical thrombectomy (501 in 2017, 585 in 2019) and those performing ≥50 procedures/year (97 in 2017, 199 in 2019; P<0.001). The odds of in-hospital mortality decreased (OR 0.79, 95% CI 0.66 to 0.94, P=0.008) and the odds of intracranial hemorrhage increased (OR 1.18, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.31, P=0.003) in 2019 compared with 2017, with no change in odds of discharge to home. CONCLUSIONS: The window expansion for mechanical thrombectomy for patients with acute ischemic stroke was associated with an increase in the numbers of mechanical thrombectomy procedures and performing hospitals with a reduction of in-hospital mortality in the USA.

Effect of race/ethnicity on arterial recanalization following intravenous thrombolysis in acute ischemic stroke patients.

INTRODUCTION: Several reports have identified that clinical outcomes such as death or disability in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients following intravenous (IV) tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) treatment can vary according to race and ethnicities. We determined the effect of race/ethnicity on rates of arterial recanalization in AIS patients with large vessel occlusion (LVO) after IV tPA. METHODS: We analyzed 234 patients with LVO detected on computed tomographic angiography (CTA) who received IV tPA and subsequently underwent angiography for potential thrombectomy. The primary occlusion sites on CTA and digital subtracted angiography (DSA) were compared and a score was given to the level of recanalization with values ranging from 1 (complete recanalization), 2 (partial recanalization), or 3 (no recanalization).The effect of race/ethnicity were assessed for predicting vessel recanalization using the covariates of age, gender, time since stroke onset, tPA dose received, NIHSS (National Institute of Health Stroke Scale) score at baseline, and location of the occlusion, using logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Five patients (2.1%) were Hispanic or Latino, 8 (3.4%) Asian, 24 (10.3%) African American, and 197 (84.2%) White. A total of 50% had a distal ICA/proximal M1 occlusion, 20% distal M1 occlusion, and 16% single M2 occlusion. At the primary occlusion site, 44 (18.8%) had complete recanalization on post IV tPA angiogram, 17 (7.3%) had partial recanalization, and 165 (70.5%) had no recanalization. We did not find any association between race/ethnicity and vessel recanalization post IV tPA (Nonwhite combined [OR=1.49, p=0.351]; Asian [OR=1.460, p=0.650]; African American [OR=1.508, p=0.415]; White [OR=0.672, p=0.351]; ethnicity (Hispanic or Latino) [OR= 1.008, p=0.374]); Occlusion location (OR=0.189, p<0.001). Final TICI scores and mRS at 90 days were similar among the different groups. CONCLUSION: Approximately 19% of patients had complete recanalization after IV tPA, but race and ethnicity did not seem to have an effect on arterial recanalization. Arterial recanalization was only affected by location of occlusion.

Intra-arterial thrombolysis as adjunct to mechanical thrombectomy in acute ischemic stroke patients in the United States: A case control analysis.

BACKGROUND: Although observational studies have reported favorable clinical outcomes associated with intra-arterial thrombolysis as adjunct to mechanical thrombectomy, the cost and length of hospitalization associated with this intervention has not been studied. METHODS: We analyzed the nationally representative data of the United States data from Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) to compare hospitalization cost and duration in addition to other outcomes in patients receiving (n = 1990) with those not receiving intra-arterial thrombolysis (n = 1990) in acute ischemic stroke patients undergoing mechanical thrombectomy using a case control design matched for age, gender, and presence of aphasia, hemiplegia, neglect, coma/stupor, hemianopsia and dysphagia. RESULTS: There was no difference in the median hospitalization cost in patients treated with intra-arterial thrombolysis compared with those not treated with intra-arterial thrombolysis: $36,992 [28,361 to 54,336] versus $35,440 [24,383 to 50,438], (regression coefficient 2,485 [-1,947 to 6,917], p = 0.27). There was no difference in the median length of hospitalization in patients treated with intra-arterial thrombolysis compared with those not treated with intra-arterial thrombolysis: 6 days [3 to 10] versus 6 days [4 to 10], (regression coefficient -0.34 [-1.47 to 0.80], p = 0.56). There was no difference in odds of home-discharge (OR 1.02 95%CI 0.72-1.43, p = 0.93) or post-procedural intracranial hemorrhage (OR 1.16 95%CI 0.83-1.64, p = 0.39) between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: We did not observe an increase in the cost or length of hospitalization associated with the use of intra-arterial thrombolysis as adjunct to mechanical thrombectomy in acute ischemic stroke patients. If the ongoing randomized clinical trials demonstrate therapeutic efficacy in reducing death or disability, this intervention has a high likelihood of being beneficial overall.

Outcomes with IV tenecteplase and IV alteplase for acute ischemic stroke with or without thrombectomy in real-world settings in the United States.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Although many stroke centers in United States are using intravenous (IV) tenecteplase (TNK) for acute ischemic stroke patients, there is paucity of comparative data between IV TNK and IV alteplase from real-world settings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed the data from 122 healthcare facilities in Cerner Real World Data and included patients admitted between February 2016 to April 2022 to determine the effect of IV TNK (compared with IV alteplase) on occurrence of two outcomes in acute ischemic stroke patients stratified by use of thrombectomy: non-routine discharge or death, and intracranial hemorrhage after adjusting for potential confounders. RESULTS: Among 30,643 acute ischemic stroke patients analyzed, 29,480 (96.2%) and 1,163 (3.8%) patients received IV alteplase and IV TNK, respectively. The proportion of patients who received thrombectomy was significantly higher among patients who received IV TNK compared with those who received IV alteplase (16.7% versus 11.0%, p<0.001). Occurrence of intracranial hemorrhage was more common among patients treated with IV TNK in acute ischemic stroke patients who did not receive thrombectomy (7.9% versus 5.1%, p<0.001) but not in those who received thrombectomy (20.1% versus 16.8%, p = 0.234). In the logistic regression analysis, patients treated with IV TNK who did not receive thrombectomy were at higher risk of intracranial hemorrhage (OR, 1.34, 95% CI 1.05-1.72, p = 0.02) after adjusting for age (age strata), gender, race/ethnicity, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, atrial fibrillation, hyperlipidemia, malignancy, nicotine dependence, previous ischemic stroke, previous transient ischemic attack, previous intracerebral hemorrhage, previous subarachnoid hemorrhage, previous acute myocardial infarction, atherosclerosis of aorta, previous AKI, congestive heart failure, peripheral vascular disease, and hospital type, aphasia, hemiplegia, neglect, somnolence, stupor and coma, dysphagia, and homonymous hemianopsia. There was no difference in the rate of non-routine discharge or death between patients treated with IV TNK and those treated with IV alteplase in the multivariate analyses. CONCLUSIONS: In an analysis of real-world data, IV TNK was associated with higher rates of intracranial hemorrhage compared with IV alteplase in patients with acute ischemic stroke who did not undergo thrombectomy.

Hyperglycemic control in acute ischemic stroke patients undergoing endovascular treatment: post hoc analysis of the Stroke Hyperglycemia Insulin Network Effort trial.

BACKGROUND: Hyperglycemia has been associated with poor outcomes in acute ischemic stroke patients undergoing endovascular treatment. We analyzed the effect of intensive glucose control on death and disability rates in patients with acute ischemic stroke undergoing endovascular treatment. METHODS: We analyzed the effect of intensive (serum glucose <110 mg/dL) glucose treatment (compared with standard treatment, serum glucose <180 mg/dL) in patients who received endovascular treatment in the Stroke Hyperglycemia Insulin Network Effort (SHINE) trial. We further analyzed the effect of area under the curve (AUC) of serum glucose, proportion of the time blood glucose was <140 mg/dL, and glucose variability defined as the glucose range during 72 hours. The primary outcomes were neurological deterioration within 72 hours and outcome at 90 days. RESULTS: A total of 146 patients (mean age 68.1±13.9 years, 50.7% men) underwent endovascular treatment for acute ischemic stroke; 72 and 74 patients were randomized to intensive and standard treatments, respectively. The rates of death (20.3% and 22.2%), favorable 90-day primary outcome (17.6% and 19.4%), and serious adverse events (41.9% and 56.98%) were similar between the two groups. The AUC of serum glucose was not associated with death within 90 days (OR 1, 95% CI 1 to 1) or favorable outcome at 90 days (OR 1, 95% CI 1 to 1). Glucose variability was not associated with death or favorable outcome at 90 days. CONCLUSION: We did not identify any beneficial effect of intensive glucose reduction on rates of death or favorable outcomes at 90 days among acute ischemic stroke patients undergoing endovascular treatment.

Effect of Percutaneous Inferior Sympathetic Ganglion Block on Medium-Sized Intracranial Artery Diameters on Cerebral Angiography.

BACKGROUND: Some data suggest a vasodilatory effect of sympathetic blockade in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage, but the effect on medium-sized intracranial arteries remains unclear. We report the results of serial cerebral angiography to study the cerebral vasodilatory effects of percutaneous inferior sympathetic ganglion block in 2 patients. METHODS: Serial ipsilateral intracranial angiograms were obtained before and after percutaneous inferior sympathetic ganglion block and were imported to a DICOM reader, Horos Open-Source Medical Image Viewer (version 3.3.6). The percent change of arterial diameter was calculated in the intracranial internal carotid artery (ICA), middle carotid artery (MCA), and anterior cerebral artery (ACA). We assessed the interobserver reliability using the Bland-Altman method. RESULTS: In Patient 1, there was an average increase in diameter of intracranial ICA and MCA at 1 minute, 5 minutes, and 10 minutes, with a relative decrease in the diameter of the ACA. In Patient 2, there was an average relative increase in diameter of intracranial ICA and MCA at 1 minute, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 20 minutes, and 30 minutes, with a relative increase in diameter at 5 minutes, 10 minutes, and 30 minutes in the ACA. The Bland-Altman coefficient of variation was -5.35 (range -0.44 to 0.28) with all the data points within the 98% upper and lower limits of acceptance. CONCLUSIONS: We observed vasodilation in medium-sized intracranial arteries ipsilateral to the percutaneous inferior sympathetic ganglion block as early as 1 minute post treatment and persisting for at least until 30 minutes post blockade.

Effect of angioplasty and stent placement on sensorineural hearing loss and pulsatile tinnitus in a patient with severe internal carotid artery stenosis.

BACKGROUND: Pulsatile tinnitus occurs due to turbulent blood flow through a stenotic vessel including the internal carotid artery. The presence of sensorineural hearing loss suggests involvement of the posterior circulation vasculature. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: A 58-year-old woman presented to the ear, nose and throat clinic with acute onset of right ear pulsations and high-pitched tinnitus. An audiogram demonstrated mild sensorineural hearing loss in the right ear. Her computed tomography angiogram revealed moderate stenosis of the right internal carotid artery and she underwent revascularization with angioplasty and stent placement. A repeat audiogram demonstrated improvement in sensorineural hearing loss in the right. CONCLUSION: Pulsatile tinnitus and unilateral sensorineural hearing loss maybe a reversible manifestation of a stenotic internal carotid artery.

Reliability of an Automated Computerized Hematoma Volumetric Analysis Protocol in Patients with Chronic Subdural Hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND: Hematoma volume in chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) may predict neurologic deterioration and need for surgical evacuation. Several computer software-assisted methods exist for accurate volume measurements of intracerebral hemorrhage, but no reliable method has been identified for measurement of CSDH volume. METHODS: A total of 30 consecutive patients with CSDH from 2018-2019 admitted to our institution were selected. The noncontrast computed tomography head studies were reviewed by 2 residents. The region of interest method on a Horos Open Source Medical Image Viewer (version 3.3.6) was utilized for volume measurement by each resident (resident-1 and resident-2) independently. Resident-1 repeated the protocol on the same studies 1 month later. We calculated the intra- and interobserver reliability of hematoma volume measurements using the Bland-Altman method. RESULTS: Mean age of the patients was 79 years (range, 50-92 years). For interobserver analysis, resident-1 mean hematoma volume was 85.46 cm3 (range, 6.40-178.63 cm3) and was 87.15 cm3 (range, 8.79-165.97 cm3) for resident-2. The Bland-Altman coefficient of variation was 13.15% (range, 0.07%-46.29%, 97% within the limits of acceptance). For intraobserver analysis, the initial average volume measured by resident-1 was 85.46 cm3 (range, 6.40-178.63 cm3) and subsequent was 95.26 cm3 (range, 10.48-182.99 cm3). The Bland-Altman coefficient of variation was 13.76% (range, 0.81%-48.34%, 97% within the limits of acceptance). CONCLUSIONS: We are reporting inter- and intraobserver reliability for a novel volumetric analysis of CSDH volume using Horos Medical Image Viewer region of interest generated volume calculation. This method is accurate and efficient and could have important clinical and research implications for risk stratification.

Current Endovascular Treatment of Acute Ischemic Stroke.

Acute ischemic stroke is one of the leading causes of death and long-term disability in the United States. Intravenous thrombolysis with recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (rt-PA) has been the mainstay of acute therapy. However, multiple randomized clinical trials have been published that have shown higher rates of recanalization and improved functional outcomes with endovascular therapy compared with intravenous rt-PA in patients with ischemic stroke from large vessel occlusion. This article provides an update and discusses the role of endovascular therapy in management of acute ischemic stroke.

Percutaneous Fenestration of a Spinal Arachnoid Web Using an Intrathecal Catheter: Effect on Cerebrospinal Fluid Flow and Clinical Status.

BACKGROUND: Spinal arachnoid webs are a rare anatomic entity manifesting as neuropathic back pain, compressive myelopathy, radiculopathy, and hydrocephalus. Typical treatments include hemilaminectomy or full laminectomy with durotomy and microsurgical resection, which can result in secondary scarring and recurrent blockage of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow perpetuating the cycle. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 66-year-old woman presented with progressively worsening gait and memory. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated an arachnoid web in the high thoracic region, causing CSF flow obstruction and hydrocephalus. A standard lumbar drainage catheter was introduced percutaneously into the lumbar thecal sac and advanced in a cephalad direction, across the arachnoid web, to the high thoracic region. The patient underwent continuous CSF drainage through this catheter for a total of 3 days, displaying measurable clinical improvement that persisted at the 3-month follow-up visit. Phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated interval reconstitution of dorsal synchronous CSF flow at the second thoracic vertebral level, both on day 3 and at the 3-month control imaging study. CONCLUSIONS: This minimally invasive approach seems useful in achieving restoration of spinal fluid flow at the thoracic region when the underlying blockage results from an arachnoid web and leads to quantifiable clinical improvement.

Outcomes of Two Different Techniques Using the Lateral Approach for Lumbar Interbody Arthrodesis.

Study Design Retrospective cohort study. Objective To determine the short-term outcomes of two different lateral approaches to the lumbar spine. Methods This was a retrospective review performed with four fellowship-trained spine surgeons from a single institution. Two different approach techniques were identified. (1) Traditional transpsoas (TP) approach: dissection was performed through the psoas performed using neuromonitored sequential dilation. (2) Direct visualization (DV) approach: retractors are placed superficial to the psoas followed by directly visualized dissection through psoas. Outcome measures included radiographic fusion and adverse event (AE) rate. Results In all, 120 patients were identified, 79 women and 41 men. Average age was 64.2 years (22 to 86). When looking at all medical and surgical AEs, 31 patients (25.8%) had one or more AEs; 22 patients (18.3%) had a total of 24 neurologically related AEs; 15 patients (12.5%) had anterior/lateral thigh dysesthesias; 6 patients (5.0%) had radiculopathic pain; and 3 patients (2.5%) had postoperative weakness. Specifically, for neurologic AEs, the DV group had a rate of 28.0% and the TP group had a rate of 14.2% (p < 0.18). When looking at the rate of neurologic AEs in patients undergoing single-level fusions only, the DV group rate was 28.6% versus 10.2% for the TP group (p < 0.03). Conclusion Overall, 18.3% of patients sustained a postoperative neurologic AE following lateral interbody fusions. The TP approach had a statistically lower rate of neurologic-specific AE for single-level fusions.