PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Yoneyama, Takumi
AU  - Nakano, Shinichi
AU  - Kawano, Hirokazu
AU  - Iseda, Tsutomu
AU  - Ikeda, Tokuro
AU  - Goya, Tomokazu
AU  - Wakisaka, Shinichiro
TI  - Combined Direct Percutaneous Transluminal Angioplasty and Low-Dose Native Tissue Plasminogen Activator Therapy for Acute Embolic Middle Cerebral Artery Trunk Occlusion
DP  - 2002 Feb 01
TA  - American Journal of Neuroradiology
PG  - 277--281
VI  - 23
IP  - 2
4099  - http://www.ajnr.org/content/23/2/277.short
4100  - http://www.ajnr.org/content/23/2/277.full
SO  - Am. J. Neuroradiol.2002 Feb 01; 23
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: In embolic middle cerebral artery (MCA) trunk occlusion, recanalization with direct percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) may be preferable to time-consuming thrombolysis. However, distal embolization with small crushed fragments is a complication of direct PTA. We prospectively evaluated combined direct PTA and low-dose native tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) therapy for acute embolic MCA trunk occlusion.METHODS: Fifteen patients underwent direct PTA. The embolus was successfully crushed in 12, who received subsequent native t-PA infusion. Direct PTA was performed with a balloon catheter, which was advanced into the occlusion site and inflated several times until recanalization was established. After PTA, 7.2 mg of native t-PA in 100 mL of isotonic sodium chloride solution was infused for 30 minutes. Neurologic status was evaluated at admission and immediately and 1 month after treatment. In all patients, follow-up CT was performed within 24 hours and 3–7 days after onset, and follow-up MR imaging, 1 month after onset.RESULTS: Direct PTA failed to crush the embolus in three of 15 patients; these three had no clinical improvement. In 11 of 12 patients, combined therapy was successful, with no technical complication. Although no symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage occurred, one patient had a small hematoma. All patients with successful recanalization had marked clinical improvement. Although angiograms showed distal embolizations in 10, cortical infarctions were confirmed in only three at follow-up.CONCLUSION: Combined direct PTA and IV low-dose native t-PA therapy may be a safe alternative to thrombolytic therapy in some patients with embolic MCA trunk occlusion.