- Endovascular Treatment of Dural Arteriovenous Fistulas Using Transarterial Liquid Embolization in Combination with Transvenous Balloon-Assisted Protection of the Venous Sinus
The authors report their single-center experience in 22 patients with dural arteriovenous fistulas who were treated with transarterial liquid embolization in combination with transvenous balloon-assisted protection of the affected venous sinus. All patients were symptomatic, of whom 81.8% presented with tinnitus; 9.1%, with ocular symptoms; and 9.1%, with headache. Most fistulas were located at the transverse and/or sigmoid sinus. The most frequent fistula type was Cognard IIa+b (40.9%), followed by Cognard I (31.8%) and Cognard IIa (27.3%)/Borden I (59.1%), and Borden II (40.9%). The affected sinus could be preserved in all except for 1 patient in whom it was sacrificed in a second treatment procedure by coil embolization. The overall complete occlusion rate was 86.4%. The overall complication rate was 20%, with transient and permanent morbidity and mortality of 8%, 0%, and 0%, respectively. They conclude that transarterial liquid embolization of dural arteriovenous fistulas in combination with transvenous balloon-assisted protection of the venous sinus is feasible and safe.
- Value of Quantitative Collateral Scoring on CT Angiography in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke
From the MR CLEAN data base, all baseline thin-slice CTA images of patients with acute ischemic stroke with intracranial large-vessel occlusion were retrospectively collected. The quantitative collateral score was calculated as the ratio of the vascular appearance of both hemispheres and was compared with the visual collateral score. Primary outcomes were 90-day mRS score and follow-up infarct volume. A total of 442 patients were included. The quantitative collateral score strongly correlated with the visual collateral score and was an independent predictor of mRS and follow-up infarct volume per 10% increase. The quantitative collateral score showed areas under the curve of 0.71 and 0.69 for predicting functional independence (mRS 0-2) and follow-up infarct volume of greater than 90 mL, respectively. The authors conclude that automated quantitative collateral scoring in patients with acute ischemic stroke is a reliable and user-independent measure of the collateral capacity on baseline CTA and has the potential to augment the triage of patients with acute stroke for endovascular therapy.
- Multicentric Experience in Distal-to-Proximal Revascularization of Tandem Occlusion Stroke Related to Internal Carotid Artery Dissection
Prospectively managed stroke data bases from 2 separate centers were retrospectively studied between 2009 and 2014 for records of tandem occlusions related to internal carotid dissection. The first step in the revascularization procedure was intracranial thrombectomy. Then, cervical carotid stent placement was performed depending on the functionality of the circle of Willis and the persistence of residual cervical ICA occlusion, severe stenosis, or thrombus apposition. Efficiency, complications, and radiologic and clinical outcomes were recorded. Thirty-four patients presenting with tandem occlusion stroke secondary to internal carotid dissection were treated during the study period. The mean age was 52.5 years, the mean initial NIHSS score was 17, and the mean delay between onset and groin puncture was 3.58 hours. Recanalization of TICI 2b/3 was obtained in 21 cases (62%). Fifteen patients underwent cervical carotid stent placement. There was no recurrence of ipsilateral stroke in the nonstented subgroup. The authors conclude that endovascular treatment of internal carotid dissection-related tandem occlusion stroke using the distal-to-proximal recanalization strategy appears to be feasible, with low complication rates and considerable rates of successful recanalization.