- Endovascular Management of Tandem Occlusion Stroke Related to Internal Carotid Artery Dissection Using a Distal to Proximal Approach: Insight from the RECOST Study
The authors analyzed all carotid artery dissection tandem occlusion strokes and isolated anterior circulation occlusions from their ongoing prospective stroke data base. For carotid artery dissection, the revascularization procedure consisted of initial distal recanalization by a stent retriever in the intracranial vessel. Following assessment of the circle of Willis, ICA stent placement was only performed in case of insufficiency. Two hundred fifty-eight patients with an anterior circulation stroke were analyzed, including 20 with carotid artery dissection–related occlusion. Only 5 carotid artery dissections (25%) necessitated cervical stent placement. No early ipsilateral stroke recurrence was recorded, despite the absence of stent placement in 15 patients (75%) with carotid artery dissection. Mechanical endovascular treatment of carotid artery dissection tandem occlusions is safe and effective compared with isolated anterior circulation occlusion stroke therapy. The authors favor a complete evaluation of the circle of Willis in these patients, which requires a contralateral femoral puncture, allowing selective contralateral common carotid and vertebrobasilar catheterizations.