Background An aplastic or twig-like middle cerebral artery (Ap/T-MCA) is a rare congenital anomaly that can present with both ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. The etiology of this pathology has remained unclear. Here, we report 2 cases of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) owing to an Ap/T-MCA in pregnant patients. Case Description In both patients, cerebral angiography revealed a steno-occlusive lesion and an abnormal arterial network on the unilateral middle cerebral artery. One patient was treated conservatively for a putaminal hemorrhage, and a cesarean section was performed uneventfully 6 months after onset of the ICH. The other patient underwent a craniotomy for evacuation of the lobar hemorrhage. Subsequently, a cesarean section was performed uneventfully. Both patients gradually recovered without significant disabilities. Conclusions An Ap/T-MCA is a rare congenital anomaly and is a potential cause of ICH for pregnant patients. A cesarean section is a useful option for pregnant patients with this condition.

A significant controversy exists regarding the clinical impact of hemodynamic depression on major adverse events after carotid artery stenting (CAS). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence, predictors, and clinical significance of hypotension after CAS. A total of 118 cases of carotid artery stenosis were treated with CAS. Hypotension was defined as sustained systolic blood pressure <80 mmHg and requiring intravenous administration of vasopressor to maintain adequate systolic blood pressure after the procedure. Baseline characteristics, procedural characteristics, and periprocedural major adverse events were retrospectively compared between postprocedural hypotension group and non-hypotension group. Morphological and procedural characteristics were not significantly different between the two groups. Periprocedural major adverse events, presence of new ischemic lesions, and number of new ischemic lesions were not significantly different between the two groups (P = 1, P = 0.36, P = 0.68). Hypertension was an independent protective factor (P = 0.037), and use of proximal protection and the distance from carotid bifurcation to maximum stenotic lesion ≤ 10 mm were independent risk factors for developing hypotension after CAS (P = 0.034, P = 0.027). There was no significant relationship between hypotension after CAS and major adverse events in this study. Maintenance of periprocedural adequate cerebral perfusion is thought to be important to prevent ischemic complications due to hypotension after CAS, especially in these cases.

OBJECTIVE Twig-like middle cerebral artery (T-MCA) is a rare congenital anomaly that is difficult to distinguish from moyamoya angiopathy (MMA), given the similarity of the angioarchitectures. The aim of this study was to gain insights into the radiological and clinical features of T-MCA and to distinguish this condition from MMA. METHODS A multicenter retrospective study was conducted in 29 patients with T-MCA and 57 patients with MMA. Demographic, radiological, and clinical data were compared between the patients with T-MCA and those with MMA. RESULTS The T-MCA group tended to be older than the MMA group (mean age 47 ± 18 vs 39 ± 22 years). Twenty patients with T-MCA (69%) were initially diagnosed with MMA. All T-MCA cases had twig-like networks and steno-occlusive changes involving the MCA. The T-MCA group had a higher incidence of intracranial aneurysms (35% vs 11%) and coexisting arterial anomalies (48% vs 12%). T-MCA and MMA cases had significant differences in involvement of the internal carotid artery terminus (0% vs 100%) and posterior cerebral artery (0% vs 23%), and in transdural anastomosis (0% vs 51%). T-MCA cases were less likely to present with stroke (59% vs 86%) and more likely to be asymptomatic (28% vs 12%). Of the patients with stroke, those with T-MCA had more hemorrhagic strokes (41% vs 29%) and fewer ischemic strokes (59% vs 71%) compared to those with MMA. CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that T-MCA is a different disease entity from MMA based on significant differences in the radiological and clinical features. Neurosurgeons should recognize this anomaly and understand the key features that differentiate T-MCA from MMA.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract