Parent Artery Occlusion for a Dissecting Posterior Cerebral Artery Aneurysm in the P4 Segment Presenting with Ischemic Stroke and Rapid Growth: A Case Report.

A dissecting aneurysm in the P4 segment of the posterior cerebral artery (PCA) is extremely rare, and its treatment is sometimes challenging. Endovascular parent artery occlusion (PAO) was performed for an unruptured P4 segment dissecting PCA aneurysm presenting with ischemic stroke and rapid growth. A 70-year-old man was rushed to our emergency department due to a right-sided headache and a visual field defect. Head magnetic resonance imaging showed a right occipital lobe ischemic stroke, with right PCA occlusion and aneurysm formation in the P4 segment. The diagnosis was PCA dissection in the calcarine artery, and oral aspirin was started. Within a week, the dissecting aneurysm had enlarged progressively to 6.2 mm in diameter. Thus, PAO with coils was performed as a preventive measure against aneurysm rupture, assuming that complication risks were low because the tributary area of the dissecting PCA had already infarcted. A 6-Fr guiding sheath was introduced from the right brachial artery to the right vertebral artery, and a microcatheter/microguidewire was placed into the true lumen of the calcarine artery distal to the aneurysm. PAO with coils was performed, and the blood flow to the aneurysm was completely obliterated. After the treatment, the known infarction in the right occipital lobe was enlarged, but no new neurological symptoms developed. The patient was discharged independently on postoperative day 3. Treatment for a distal PCA dissecting aneurysm is challenging. PAO with coils is one of the reasonable choices, especially when a visual field defect has already developed.

Functional recoveries of patients with branch atheromatous disease after rehabilitation: Comparison with other types of cerebral infarction and importance of stratification by clinical categories.

BACKGROUND: Functional recoveries after rehabilitation of patients with branch atheromatous disease (BAD) have not been well investigated, however, clinical category of cerebral infarction including BAD itself could be a potential predictive factor for functional outcome. OBJECTIVE: To describe characteristics of functional recoveries of patients with BAD through comparison with other types of cerebral infarction. METHODS: We retrospectively compared outcomes of patients with BAD (N = 222), cardioembolic cerebral infarction (CE: N = 177) and atherothrombotic cerebral infarction (AT: N = 219) by using functional independence measure (FIM) and FIM effectiveness (the proportion of potential for improvement achieved). RESULTS: Univariate analysis showed that FIM on discharge was comparable among three types of cerebral infarction, but that FIM effectiveness in patients with BAD was significantly higher than those with CE or AT. Stratified analysis revealed higher FIM effectiveness in patients with BAD compared to patients with CE or AT, if they were male, younger (≤72 years) or had supratentorial brain lesions. Multiple regression analysis demonstrated that location of the brain lesion (supratentorial vs infratentorial) and gender (male vs female) were significantly associated with FIM on discharge, and that cognitive function on admission as well as gender were significantly associated with FIM effectiveness in patients with BAD, but not in patients with CE or AT. CONCLUSIONS: Outcomes after rehabilitation of patients with BAD may be characterized by better functional improvement, especially if patients are male, relatively younger or with supratentorial lesions. The impact and the type of factors related to functional recoveries of patients with BAD may be different from other types of stroke. The present study suggested that clinical category of stroke should be taken into consideration in prediction of outcomes and planning of rehabilitation management.

[Transvenous Embolization by Direct Puncture of the Superior Sagittal Sinus Using Indocyanine Green(ICG)Videoangiography for Treatment of Dural Arteriovenous Fistula of the Transverse-Sigmoid Sinus:A Case Report].

We report a case of dural arteriovenous fistula at the left transverse sinus and sigmoid sinus(TS-dAVF), which was treated with transvenous embolization(TVE)by direct puncture of the superior sagittal sinus(SSS)under indocyanine green(ICG)fluoroscopic guidance. A 71-year-old woman presented with pulsatile tinnitus and progressive dementia. A left TS-dAVF with retrograde SSS and cortical venous reflux(Cognard type IIb)was demonstrated on cerebral angiography. The left internal jugular vein and distal portion of the right transverse sinus were occluded. We considered that TVE via the femoral vein would be difficult for complete cure. We performed trepanation of the frontal portion of the SSS. The SSS was directly punctured with an 18-G needle under ICG fluoroscopic guidance. We inserted a 4-Fr sheath into the SSS. A microcatheter was navigated into the affected sinus. Coils were placed through the microcatheter. The dAVF was completely diminished. No complications occurred. The patient's pulsatile tinnitus disappeared and dementia improved. Transvenous approach with direct puncture of the SSS under ICG fluoroscopic guidance was a useful approach for the treatment of dAVF when other approaches were difficult.