Despite recent studies of the natural history of cavernous malformations, there remains significant uncertainty concerning hemorrhage rates and the importance of lesion location. Controversy arises over varying definitions of "hemorrhage." What is ultimately important to the patient is the occurrence of a neurological event, which may or may not be associated with radiologically documented hemorrhage, as well as the chance of recovery after such an event. The purpose of this study was to determine the rates of occurrence and sequelae of neurological events in 173 patients referred to our vascular malformation clinic with cavernous malformations. All patient data were entered into a database. The mean age at presentation for the 173 patients was 37.5 years. The lesion location was deep (brainstem, cerebellar nuclei, thalamus, or basal ganglia) in 64 patients (37%) and superficial in 109 (63%). Thirty-one patients (18%) had multiple lesions. Disease presentation was due to seizures in 62 patients (36%), hemorrhage in 44 (25%), focal neurological deficit without documented hemorrhage in 35 (20%), headache alone in 11 (6%), and incidental findings in 21 patients (12%). The results obtained in the 110 patients eligible for follow-up review were used to derive information on the rates of hemorrhage and neurological events. An interval event (neurological deterioration) required both symptoms and signs. The total mean follow-up period was 46 months, the majority (65%) of which was prospective. There were 18 interval events in 427 patient-years of follow-up review, for an overall annual event rate of 4.2%. Location was the most important factor for predicting interval event occurrence, with significantly higher rates for deeply located (10.6%/year) compared with superficially located lesions (0%/year) (p = 0.0001). Of patients suffering a neurological event, only 37% had complete resolution of their deficits. This largely prospective study indicates that deep cavernous malformations carry a worse prognosis than superficial lesions with respect to annual rates of neurological deterioration. The alarming rate of adverse clinical events occurring in patients with deep lesions is punctuated by the fact that less than one-half of them recover fully during long-term follow-up review.

Campbell, B. C.V. et al. (2019) Penumbral imaging and functional outcome in patients with anterior circulation ischaemic stroke treated with endovascular thrombectomy versus medical therapy: a meta-analysis of individual patient-level data.ABSTRACT Background: CT-perfusion (CTP) and MRI may assist patient selection for endovascular thrombectomy. We aimed to establish whether imaging assessments of ischaemic core and penumbra volumes were associated with functional outcomes and treatment effect.

Campbell, B. C. V. et al. (2018) Effect of general anaesthesia on functional outcome in patients with anterior circulation ischaemic stroke having endovascular thrombectomy versus standard care: a meta-analysis of individual patient data. Lancet Neurology, 17(1), pp. 47-53. (doi:10.1016/S1474-4422(17)30407-6) This is the author's final accepted version.There may be differences between this version and the published version. You are advised to consult the publisher's version if you wish to cite from it.http://eprints.gla.ac.uk/149670/ variables. An alternative approach using propensity-score stratification was also used. To account for between-trial variance we used mixed-effects modeling with a random effect for trial incorporated in all models. Bias was assessed using the Cochrane tool.Findings: Of 1764 patients in 7 trials, 871 were allocated to endovascular thrombectomy. After exclusion of 74 patients (72 who did not undergo the procedure and 2 with missing data on anaesthetic strategy), 236/797 (30%) of endovascular patients were treated under GA. At baseline, GA patients were younger and had shorter time to randomisation but similar pre-treatment clinical severity compared to non-GA. Endovascular thrombectomy improved functional outcome at 3 months versus standard care in both GA (adjusted common odds ratio (cOR) 1·52, 95%CI 1·09-2·11, p=0·014) and non-GA (adjusted cOR 2·33, 95%CI 1·75-3·10, p<0·001) patients. However, outcomes were significantly better for those treated under non-GA versus GA (covariate-adjusted cOR 1·53, 95%CI 1·14-2·04, p=0·004; propensitystratified cOR 1·44 95%CI 1·08-1·92, p=0·012). The risk of bias and variability among studies was assessed to be low.Interpretation: Worse outcomes after endovascular thrombectomy were associated with GA, after adjustment for baseline prognostic variables. These data support avoidance of GA whenever possible. The procedure did, however, remain effective versus standard care in patients treated under GA, indicating that treatment should not be withheld in those who require anaesthesia for medical reasons. Funding:The HERMES collaboration was funded by an unrestricted grant from Medtronic to the University of Calgary. Research in contextEvidence before this study between abolition of the thrombectomy treatment effect in MR CLEAN and no effect in THRACE. Three single-centre randomised trials of general anaesthesia versus conscious sedation found either no difference in functional outcome between groups or a slight benefit of general anaesthesia. Added value of this studyThese data from contemporary, high quality randomised trials form the largest study to date of the association between general anesthesia and the benefit of endovascular thrombectomy versus standard care. We used two different approaches to adjust for baseline imbalances (multivariable logistic regression and propensity-score stratification). We found that GA for endovascular thrombectomy, as practiced in contemporary clinical care across a wide range of expert centres during the rand...

Background and Purpose-Associations between clinical presentation of brain arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) and their angioarchitecture have been described. This study aims to identify significant factors related to the initial hemorrhagic event through multivariate statistical methodology.

Background and Purpose-The correlation between features present in brain arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) such as size, location, and angioarchitecture at presentation with subsequent risk of hemorrhage may be valuable in predicting the behavior of AVMs and therefore guiding management. Methods-We prospectively followed up 390 patients with brain AVMs at [1][2][3] Many factors related to the natural history of AVMs have been described, including clinical aspects like systemic high blood pressure 4 and dynamic physiological measurements of the AVMs such as intranidal pressure. 5,6 Other features based on imaging of the AVMs such as size and location have also been assessed. 7 Of special interest are the angioarchitectural aspects of the AVMs, which have been associated with initial hemorrhagic events. 4,8 -12 Many reports, including recent series, 6,7 stated that the presence of some of these factors at initial presentation can be used as risk predictors for future bleeds.The most frequently reported example by several authors 13-15 and most recently by Langer et al 4 is that small AVMs have a higher risk of bleeding. These studies, however, fail to make the critical distinction between factors present at initial bleeding and the prospective risk of hemorrhage seen in AVM patients followed up over time after clinical presentation. The ideal case would be the prospective follow-up of nontreated AVMs, with researchers knowing their angioarchitecture and looking for new events from the time of the first clinical presentation. That is difficult because it is not acceptable to leave curable AVMs without treatment.In this study of a series of 390 patients enrolled in the vascular malformation study group at the University of Toronto, we investigated the association between angiographic features of brain AVMs and the risk of future hemorrhagic events. Materials and MethodsThe University of Toronto Arteriovenous Malformation Study Group has been assessing patients with brain AVMs since 1989. These patients were prospectively followed up by a multidisciplinary team of neurosurgeons, neuroradiologists, and radiotherapists using diagnostic and therapeutic methodology described elsewhere. 16 Patients with cranial dural arteriovenous fistulae and vein of Galen malformations were excluded from this study.Angiographic characteristics present at the time of the diagnosis such as size, location, arterial feeders, venous drainage pattern, and presence of aneurysms were noted following a standard protocol. The definitions used in the present report are similar to those recently proposed by the Joint Writing Group of the Technology Assessment Committee and intended for use in AVM research protocols. 17 Size was initially classified according to the Spetzler-Martin 18 criteria as small (Յ3 cm), medium (Ͼ3 and Ͻ6 cm), or large (Ն6

In the Intraoperative Hypothermia for Aneurysm Surgery Trial, neither systemic hypothermia nor supplemental protective drug affected short- or long-term neurologic outcomes of patients undergoing temporary clipping.

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This case represents one of the first examples in humans of the formation of a membrane over the aneurysm orifice after GDC therapy. The formation of this membrane, shown to be composed of fibrin, was found at 36 hours after coiling, which is the earliest time frame at which membrane formation has been noted in either humans or animal models. This fibrin membrane may function both as a scaffold for subsequent endothelialization across the aneurysm neck as well as to isolate the aneurysm from the parent circulation, permitting thrombus within the aneurysm sac to mature to an endovascular scar. The factors contributing to the formation of this membrane and its clinical implications are discussed.