Monitored anesthesia care during mechanical thrombectomy for stroke: need for data-driven and individualized decisions.

BACKGROUND: The optimal anesthesia management for patients with stroke undergoing mechanical thrombectomy (MT) during the COVID-19 pandemic has become a matter of controversy. Some recent guidelines have favored general anesthesia (GA) in patients perceived as high risk for intraprocedural conversion from sedation to GA, including those with dominant hemispheric occlusions/aphasia or baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score >15. We aim to identify the rate and predictors of conversion to GA during MT in a high-volume center where monitored anesthesia care (MAC) is the default modality. METHODS: A retrospective review of a prospectively maintained MT database from January 2013 to July 2020 was undertaken. Analyses were conducted to identify the predictors of intraprocedural conversion to GA. In addition, we analyzed the GA conversion rates in subgroups of interest. RESULTS: Among 1919 MT patients, 1681 (87.6%) started treatment under MAC (median age 65 years (IQR 55-76); baseline NIHSS 16 (IQR 11-21); 48.4% women). Of the 1677 eligible patients, 26 (1.6%) converted to GA including 1.4% (22/1615) with anterior and 6.5% (4/62) with posterior circulation strokes. The only predictor of GA conversion was posterior circulation stroke (OR 4.99, 95% CI 1.67 to 14.96, P=0.004). The conversion rates were numerically higher in right than in left hemispheric occlusions (1.6% vs 1.2%; OR 1.37, 95% CI 0.59 to 3.19, P=0.47) and in milder than in more severe strokes (NIHSS ≤15 vs >15: 2% vs 1.2%; OR 0.62, 95% CI 0.28 to 1.36, P=0.23). CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that the overall rate of conversion from MAC to GA during MT was low (1.6%) and, while higher in posterior circulation strokes, it was not predicted by either hemispheric dominance or stroke severity. Caution should be given before changing clinical practice during moments of crisis.

Perioperative Care of Patients at High Risk for Stroke During or After Non-cardiac, Non-neurological Surgery: 2020 Guidelines From the Society for Neuroscience in Anesthesiology and Critical Care.

Perioperative stroke is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. Stroke recognition and diagnosis are challenging perioperatively, and surgical patients receive therapeutic interventions less frequently compared with stroke patients in the outpatient setting. These updated guidelines from the Society for Neuroscience in Anesthesiology and Critical Care provide evidence-based recommendations regarding perioperative care of patients at high risk for stroke. Recommended areas for future investigation are also proposed.

Anesthetic Management of Endovascular Treatment of Acute Ischemic Stroke During COVID-19 Pandemic: Consensus Statement From Society for Neuroscience in Anesthesiology & Critical Care (SNACC): Endorsed by Society of Vascular & Interventional Neurology (SVIN), Society of NeuroInterventional Surgery (SNIS), Neurocritical Care Society (NCS), European Society of Minimally Invasive Neurological Therapy (ESMINT) and American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) and Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) Cerebrovascular Section.

The pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has unique implications for the anesthetic management of endovascular therapy for acute ischemic stroke. The Society for Neuroscience in Anesthesiology and Critical Care appointed a task force to provide timely, consensus-based expert recommendations using available evidence for the safe and effective anesthetic management of endovascular therapy for acute ischemic stroke during the COVID-19 pandemic. The goal of this consensus statement is to provide recommendations for anesthetic management considering the following (and they are): (1) optimal neurological outcomes for patients; (2) minimizing the risk for health care professionals, and (3) facilitating judicious use of resources while accounting for existing variability in care. It provides a framework for selecting the optimal anesthetic technique (general anesthesia or monitored anesthesia care) for a given patient and offers suggestions for best practices for anesthesia care during the pandemic. Institutions and health care providers are encouraged to adapt these recommendations to best suit local needs, considering existing practice standards and resource availability to ensure safety of patients and providers.

Monitored Anesthesia Care vs Intubation for Vertebrobasilar Stroke Endovascular Therapy.

Importance: No consensus regarding the ideal sedation treatment for stroke endovascular therapy has been reached, and practices remain largely based on local protocols and clinician preferences. Most studies have focused on anterior circulation strokes; therefore, little is known regarding the optimal anesthesia type for vertebrobasilar occlusion strokes. Objective: To compare clinical and angiographic outcomes between monitored anesthesia care (MAC) and general anesthesia (GA) in patients presenting with vertebrobasilar occlusion strokes. Design, Setting, and Participants: Retrospective, matched, case-control study of consecutive vertebrobasilar occlusion strokes treated with endovascular therapy at 2 academic institutions. The study took place between September 2005 and September 2015 at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Stroke Institute, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and between September 2010 and September 2015 at the Marcus Stroke and Neuroscience Center at Grady Memorial Hospital, Atlanta, Georgia. Patients requiring emergent intubation prior to endovascular therapy were excluded. The remaining patients were categorized into (1) MAC and (2) elective intubation for the procedure (elective GA). Patients who converted from MAC to GA during the procedure were included in the MAC group. The 2 groups were matched for age, baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score, and glucose levels. Baseline characteristics and outcomes were compared. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome measure was the shift in the degree of disability among the 2 groups as measured by the modified Rankin scale at 90 days. Results: A total of 215 patients underwent endovascular therapy for vertebrobasilar occlusion strokes during the study period. Thirty-nine patients were excluded owing to emergent pre-endovascular therapy intubation. Sixty-three patients had MAC (36%) and 113 patients had GA (64%). The conversion rate from MAC to GA was 13% (n = 8). After matching, 61 pairs of patients (n = 122) underwent primary analysis. The 2 groups were well balanced in terms of baseline characteristics. Median age was 69 years (interquartile range, 60-75 years) in the MAC group vs 67 years (interquartile range, 55.5-78.5 years) in the GA group (P = .83). Fifty-four percent of the patients in the MAC group were men vs 41% in the GA group (P = .44). When compared with the elective GA group, patients who underwent the procedure with MAC had similar rates of successful reperfusion, good clinical outcomes, hemorrhagic complications, and mortality. The modality of anesthesia was not associated with any significant changes in the modified Rankin scale score distribution (MAC: OR, 1.52; 95% CI, 0.80-2.90; P = .19). Conclusions and Relevance: In endovascular therapy for acute posterior circulation stroke, MAC is feasible and appears to be as safe and effective as GA. Future clinical trials are warranted to confirm our findings.

Anesthetic Management of a Patient With Multiple Previous Episodes of Postanesthesia Care Unit Delirium: A Case Report.

We report the case of a 37-year-old female patient who required 22 surgeries following a pedestrian versus car accident. She was enrolled in a clinical study investigating emergence from anesthesia. In 10 of her 22 surgeries, we assessed her cognitive status in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) using the Confusion Assessment Method. We observed PACU delirium in all 4 cases in which the patient received sevoflurane, but only in 1 of 6 cases in which she received propofol. The patient showed EEG α-band activity similar to that of an elderly patient who may reflect a greater risk of PACU delirium.

Missed Opportunities for Intervention in a Patient With Prolonged Postoperative Delirium.

PURPOSE: Postoperative delirium is a common and costly state of brain dysfunction that complicates postsurgical management in some patients. The purpose of this report was to describe a case of prolonged postoperative delirium and to review the appropriate identification and management of this condition. METHODS: A 56-year-old female patient who presented with newly diagnosed diabetes mellitus and dry gangrene underwent a vascular bypass procedure while under general anesthesia. After extubation, the patient became disoriented and agitated. FINDINGS: The delirium continued in a hypoactive form for 10 days before it progressed to severe agitation. During the patient's 2-month hospitalization, she underwent 6 additional surgeries. Eventually, the delirium improved with the use of antipsychotic agents, and the patient was discharged to a skilled nursing facility. IMPLICATIONS: This patient's history, medications, and anesthetic and surgical exposure placed her at high risk for postoperative delirium. Her exceptionally prolonged course of postoperative delirium was likely perpetuated by a multitude of factors, including the continued use of high-risk medications, the stress of repeated surgeries, urinary issues, and infection. CONCLUSION: In this high-risk patient, a proactive approach to the prevention and treatment of delirium may have avoided or mitigated the prolonged delirium and, potentially, long-term cognitive deficits.

Dexmedetomidine: a safe alternative to general anesthesia for endovascular stroke treatment.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: There have been reports that general anesthesia (GA) is associated with worse clinical outcomes during intra-arterial treatment (IAT) for stroke. Since traditional sedatives carry the risk of respiratory depression, this retrospective study was designed to compare sedation with the α2 adrenergic agonist dexmedetomidine (DEX) and with GA for IAT procedures. METHODS: We reviewed our institutional endovascular database of 216 consecutive patients who received DEX or GA for IAT of anterior circulation strokes between September 2010 and July 2012. The demographic, radiographic and angiographic variables between the GA and DEX groups were compared, as well as hemodynamic changes during the procedure. Binary logistic regression models were generated to determine the independent predictors of a favorable outcome (defined as a modified Rankin Score at 90 days of 0-2). RESULTS: 83 patients had IAT performed under DEX sedation. Their demographic characteristics were similar to those given GA except that they were older and had less severe strokes. The GA group experienced greater variations in blood pressure, more hypotension with induction (54% vs 28%, p<0.001) and greater use of vasopressors (79% vs 58%, p<0.001). In our regression models, independent predictors of a good outcome included age, NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, Alberta Stroke Program Early CT score (ASPECTS), successful reperfusion, lower baseline systolic blood pressure and higher blood pressures during the procedure. DEX was associated with a good outcome when models included NIHSS as the sole measure of stroke severity but was equivalent to GA when ASPECTS was added to the analysis. CONCLUSIONS: DEX can be safely administered in patients undergoing endovascular reperfusion therapies. Further study is required to determine if outcomes are different among sedatives used during such procedures.

The involvement of autophagy pathway in exaggerated ischemic brain damage in diabetic mice.

BACKGROUND: Patients with Diabetes are at greater risk for ischemic stroke and usually suffer more severe ischemic brain damage than nondiabetic patients. However, the underlying mechanism of the exaggerated injury is not well defined. AIMS: Macroautophagy (hereafter called autophagy in this report) plays a key role in cellular homeostasis and may contribute to cell death as well. Our aim was to determine whether autophagy was involved in the enhanced susceptibility of diabetic brain cells to ischemic injury and explore it as a possible target for the treatment of stroke in a diabetic condition. RESULTS: A type II diabetic mouse model generated by combined administration of streptozotocin and nicotinamide showed enlarged infarct volume, increased cell death and excessive blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption compared with nondiabetic stroke mice. After ischemic stroke, both diabetic and nondiabetic mice showed enhanced autophagosome formation and autophagic flux as demonstrated by increased expression of autophagy signals Beclin 1, microtubule-associated protein light-chain II (LC3-II), and decreased autophagy-specific substrate p62. The increased autophagic activity was significantly higher in diabetic stroke mice than that in nondiabetic stroke mice. The autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3-MA) attenuated the exaggerated brain injury and improved functional recovery. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that autophagy contributes to exacerbated brain injury in diabetic condition, and autophagy-mediated cell death may be a therapeutic target in diabetic stroke.

Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor exacerbate atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have suggested a potential contribution of bone marrow-derived progenitor cells to vascular repair. Preliminary clinical studies have explored the possibility that mobilization of progenitor cells with granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) can affect vascular repair. However, it is not known whether the short-term administration of G-CSF or GM-CSF exerts beneficial effects on atherosclerosis. METHODS AND RESULTS: Apolipoprotein E-deficient mice were treated with either GM-CSF or G-CSF at a dose of 10 microg x kg(-1) x d(-1) s.c. administered daily for 5 days per week on alternating weeks for a total of 20 doses over an 8-week treatment period. We found that in animals maintained on a high-fat diet, both G-CSF and GM-CSF actually demonstrated an increase in atherosclerotic lesion extent. The increase in atherosclerotic extent was not associated with an increase in either inflammatory cells or expression of proinflammatory genes. Interestingly, adventitial vascularity significantly increased, suggesting a mechanistic role for vasa vasorum neovascularization. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate that in this animal model of atherosclerosis, not only did administration of G-CSF or GM-CSF fail to demonstrate any beneficial therapeutic effect, but both resulted in a worsening of atherosclerosis.

Oxidative stress and diabetic vascular complications.

Vascular complications of diabetes represent the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in affected patients. Production of reactive oxygen species is increased in diabetic patients, especially in those with poor glycemic control. Reactive oxygen species affect vascular smooth muscle cell growth and migration, endothelial function, including abnormal endothelium-dependent relaxation and expression of a proinflammatory phenotype, and modification of the extracellular matrix. All of these events contribute to the development of diabetic microvascular and macrovascular complications, suggesting that the sources of reactive oxygen species and the signaling pathways that they modify may represent important therapeutic targets.