No abstract

Background and Purpose Mechanical thrombectomy using stent retriever devices have been advocated to increase revascularization in intracranial vessel occlusion. We present the results of a large prospective study on the use of the Solitaire FR in patients with acute ischemic stroke. Methods STAR was an international, multicenter, prospective, single-arm study of Solitaire FR thrombectomy in patients with large vessel anterior circulation strokes treated within 8 hours of symptom onset. Strict criteria for site selection were applied. The primary endpoint was the revascularization rate (3TICI 2b) of the occluded vessel as determined by an independent core lab. The secondary endpoint was the rate of good functional outcome (defined as 90-day modified Rankin scale (mRS) 0–2). Results A total of 202 patients were enrolled across 14 comprehensive stroke centers in Europe, Canada and Australia. The median age was 72 years, 60% were female patients. The median National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) was 17. Most proximal intracranial occlusion was the internal carotid artery in 18%, the middle cerebral artery in 82%. Successful revascularization was achieved in 79.2% of patients. Device and/or procedure related severe adverse events were found in 7.4%. Favorable neurological outcome was found in 57.9%. The mortality rate was 6.9%. Any intracranial hemorrhagic transformation was found in 18.8% of patients, 1.5% were symptomatic. Conclusions In this single arm study, treatment with the Solitaire™ FR device in intracranial anterior circulation occlusions results in high rates of revascularization, low risk of clinically relevant procedural complications, and good clinical outcomes in combination with low mortality at 90 days. Clinical Trial Registration This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01327989.

Hemangiomas and superficial vascular malformations are disfiguring birthmarks that can occur over 65% of a child's body. This atlas will focus on the classification, multidisciplinary approach, recognition and identification, and treatment options for this class of pathology. Vascular malformations, composed of malformed vessels, never regress and sometimes expand rapidly. They occur in any body part including viscera. They cause cosmetic problems, functional disability and can be life threatening and require radiologic imaging and pathology to recognize and perform differential diagnosis on various vascular anomalies. In addition, new techniques, including molecular biology procedures, have evolved allowing less invasive and a more effective approach to diagnosis and treatment.

The data in the current study emphasize the prognostic value of skull base invasion and the difficulty of complete resection of extended lesions. Tumor remnants detected in symptom-free patients should be kept under surveillance by repeated computed tomography scan, since involution may occur. Recurrent symptoms may be treated by radiotherapy (30 Gy) rather than by extended combined procedures. Endoscopic surgery should be combined with surgery for better control of skull base extensions.

EVT is a reliable and safe technique that should be considered at the time of diagnosis of cerebral mycotic aneurysms.

Background and Purpose— The purpose of this study was to evaluate safety and efficacy of the Solitaire FR device in the treatment of patients with acute ischemic stroke secondary to large artery occlusion. Methods— We conducted a retrospective study of consecutive patients presenting with acute ischemic stroke treated with Solitaire FR as the first-line device to restore blood flow in 6 experienced European centers. This study was entirely funded and supported by Coviden Neurovascular. An independent Corelab determined modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction scores on the preprocedure and postprocedure angiograms. Complete revascularization was defined as modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction 2b or 3 post-Solitaire FR device use. Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage was defined as parenchymal hemorrhage Type 2 associated with a decline of ≥4 points in the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score within 24 hours or causing death. Favorable functional outcome was considered as modified Rankin Scale score ≤2 at Day 90. Results— We studied 141 patients (mean age, 66 years; median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, 18); 74 patients received intravenous tissue-type plasminogen activator before endovascular treatment. Complete revascularization was achieved in 120 of 142 occlusion sites (85%) and good outcome in 77 of 141 (55%) patients. Good outcome was more frequent in patients treated with intravenous tissue-type plasminogen activator than in those without (66% versus 42%; P <0.01). Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage was reported in 5 patients (4%) and 29 of 141 (20%) patients died or were lost during follow-up (3 cases). Conclusions— This retrospective study with centralized evaluation shows that the use of Solitaire FR is safe and achieves good revascularization rates and functional outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke and large artery occlusion.

Endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) is well established as a highly effective treatment for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) due to proximal, large vessel occlusions (PLVOs). With iterative further advances in catheter technology, distal, medium vessel occlusions (DMVOs) are now emerging as a promising next potential EVT frontier. This consensus statement integrates recent epidemiological, anatomic, clinical, imaging, and therapeutic research on DMVO-AIS and provides a framework for further studies. DMVOs cause 25% to 40% of AISs, arising as primary thromboemboli and as unintended consequences of EVT performed for PLVOs, including emboli to new territories (ENTs) and emboli to distal territories (EDTs) within the initially compromised arterial field. The 6 distal medium arterial arbors (anterior cerebral artery [ACA], M2–M4 middle cerebral artery [MCA], posterior cerebral artery [PCA], posterior inferior cerebellar artery [PICA], anterior inferior cerebellar artery [AICA], and superior cerebellar artery [SCA]) typically have 25 anatomic segments and give rise to 34 distinct arterial branches nourishing highly differentiated, largely superficial cerebral neuroanatomical regions. DMVOs produce clinical syndromes that are highly heterogenous but frequently disabling. While intravenous fibrinolytics are more effective for distal than proximal occlusions, they fail to recanalize one-half to two-thirds of DMVOs. Early clinical series using recently available, smaller, more navigable stent retriever and thromboaspiration devices suggest EVT for DMVOs is safe, technically efficacious, and potentially clinically beneficial. Collaborative investigations are desirable to enhance imaging recognition of DMVOs; advance device design and technical efficacy; conduct large registry studies using harmonized, common data elements; and complete formal randomized trials, improving treatment of this frequent mechanism of stroke.

IMPORTANCE Randomized clinical trials have shown the efficacy of thrombectomy of large intracranial vessel occlusions in adults; however, any association of therapy with clinical outcomes in children is unknown. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the use of endovascular recanalization in pediatric patients with arterial ischemic stroke. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This retrospective, multicenter cohort study, conducted from January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2018, analyzed the databases from 27 stroke centers in Europe and the United States. Included were all pediatric patients (<18 years) with ischemic stroke who underwent endovascular recanalization. Median follow-up time was 16 months. EXPOSURES Endovascular recanalization. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The decrease of the Pediatric National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (PedNIHSS) score from admission to day 7 was the primary outcome (score range: 0 [no deficit] to 34 [maximum deficit]). Secondary clinical outcomes included the modified Rankin scale (mRS) (score range: 0 [no deficit] to 6 [death]) at 6 and 24 months and rate of complications. RESULTS Seventy-three children from 27 participating stroke centers were included. Median age was 11.3 years (interquartile range [IQR], 7.0-15.0); 37 patients (51%) were boys, and 36 patients (49%) were girls. Sixty-three children (86%) received treatment for anterior circulation occlusion and 10 patients (14%) received treatment for posterior circulation occlusion; 16 patients (22%) received concomitant intravenous thrombolysis. Neurologic outcome improved from a median PedNIHSS score of 14.0 (IQR, 9.2-20.0) at admission to 4.0 (IQR, 2.0-7.3) at day 7. Median mRS score was 1.0 (IQR, 0-1.6) at 6 months and 1.0 (IQR, 0-1.0) at 24 months. One patient (1%) developed a postinterventional bleeding complication and 4 patients (5%) developed transient peri-interventional vasospasm. The proportion of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage events in the HERMES meta-analysis of trials with adults was 2.79 (95% CI, 0.42-6.66) and in Save ChildS was 1.37 (95% CI, 0.03-7.40). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE The results of this study suggest that the safety profile of thrombectomy in childhood stroke does not differ from the safety profile in randomized clinical trials for adults; most of the treated children had favorable neurologic outcomes. This study may support clinicians' practice of off-label thrombectomy in childhood stroke in the absence of high-level evidence.