André Lima Batista

Early CT changes in patients admitted for thrombectomy Intrarater and interrater agreement

Objective: To systematically review the literature and assess agreement on the Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (ASPECTS) among clinicians involved in the management of thrombectomy candidates. Methods: Studies assessing agreement using ASPECTS published from 2000 to 2015 were reviewed. Fifteen raters reviewed and scored the anonymized CT scans of 30 patients recruited in a local thrombectomy trial during 2 independent sessions, in order to study intrarater and interrater agreement. Agreement was measured using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and Fleiss kappa statistics for ASPECTS and dichotomized ASPECTS at various cutoff values. Results: The review yielded 30 articles reporting 40 measures of agreement. Populations, methods, analyses, and results were heterogeneous (slight to excellent agreement), precluding a meta-analysis. When analyzed as a categorical variable, intrarater agreement was slight to moderate (κ = 0.042–0.469); it reached a substantial level (κ > 0.6) in 11/15 raters when the score was dichotomized (0–5 vs 6–10). The interrater ICCs varied between 0.672 and 0.811, but agreement was slight to moderate (κ = 0.129–0.315). Even in the best of cases, when ASPECTS was dichotomized as 0–5 vs 6–10, interrater agreement did not reach a substantial level (κ = 0.561), which translates into at least 5 of 15 raters not giving the same dichotomized verdict in 15% of patients. Conclusions: In patients considered for thrombectomy, there may be insufficient agreement between clinicians for ASPECTS to be reliably used as a criterion for treatment decisions.

Dual-lumen balloon catheters may improve liquid embolization of vascular malformations: an experimental study in Swine.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Liquid embolic agents are increasingly used to treat vascular malformations. We sought to assess embolization with these agents by using a dual-lumen balloon catheter in an experimental setting. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighteen injections of liquid embolic agents were performed in the rete mirabile of swine. We used 3 methods to control liquid embolic agent reflux: 1) dual-lumen balloon-catheter (group A, n = 8); 2) injection of liquid embolic agent after proximal n-BCA plug formation through a second microcatheter (group B, n = 4); and 3) standard liquid embolic agent injection (group C, controls, n = 6). The following outcomes were graded by using ordinal scales by angiography, macrophotography, and radiography of retia after euthanasia: 1) angiographic and pathologic extent of liquid embolic agent embolization of the rete, 2) reflux of liquid embolic agents in the parent artery, and 3) density of liquid embolic agents in the proximal rete. Technical complications were also recorded. A successful injection was defined as an embolization that reached the contralateral rete without reflux into proximal external branches. Exact logistic regression analyses were performed to compare groups. RESULTS: There were significant differences among groups for reflux (P = .029) and liquid embolic agent density in the proximal rete (P = .014), while extension to the contralateral rete did not reach statistical significance (P = .07). Injections differed among groups (P = .004), with dual-lumen balloon-catheter injections more frequently successful compared with control injections (P = .019). CONCLUSIONS: Dual-lumen balloon catheters allowed better liquid embolic agent injections than standard injections.

Ruptured isolated spinal artery aneurysms. Report of two cases and review of the literature.

Isolated spinal artery aneurysms are exceedingly rare vascular lesions thought to be related to dissection of the arterial wall. We describe two cases presenting with spinal subarachnoid haemorrhage that underwent conservative management. In the first patient the radiculomedullary branch involved was feeding the anterior spinal artery at the level of D3 and thus, neither endovascular nor surgical approach was employed. Control angiography was performed at seven days and at three months, demonstrating complete resolution of the lesion. In our second case, neither the anterior spinal artery or the artery of Adamkiewicz could be identified during angiography, thus endovascular management was deemed contraindicated. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a stable lesion in the second patient. No rebleeding or other complications were seen. In comparison to intracranial aneurysms, spinal artery aneurysms tend to display a fusiform appearance and lack a clear neck in relation to the likely dissecting nature of the lesions. Due to the small number of cases reported, the natural history of these lesions is not well known making it difficult to establish the optimal treatment approach. Various management strategies may be supported, including surgical and endovascular treatment, but It would seem that a wait and see approach is also viable, with control angiogram and treatment decisions based on the evolution of the lesion.

Radiculo-pial spinal arteriovenous fistulas treated with coils: Report of two cases

Spinal pial arteriovenous fistulas (SPAVFs) are rare lesions that present more frequently in young patients. Lesions located on radiculo-pial arteries without involvement of the anterior spinal artery are even rarer. SPAVFs may present with mass effect, venous congestion or hemorrhage. Most often, treatment is performed either by surgery or endovascularly with fluid embolic material. Use of microcoils has not been reported for this condition. We present two cases of radiculo-pial high-flow SPAVFs in two patients in their early 30 s. One patient presented with abrupt headache without proof of hemorrhage and the other one with trigeminal neuralgia resulting from dilated posterior fossa draining veins remote from the fistula. Both patients were successfully treated with endovascular shunt closure using microcoils with resolution of symptoms and disappearance of the dilated veins at follow-up. With recent advances in microcatheter technology, distal navigation and microcoil embolization offers another option for these cases that may be safer than fluid embolic material.

Safety of Abciximab injection during endovascular treatment of ruptured aneurysms.

Background and purpose We aimed to determine the safety of intra-arterial Abciximab injection in the management of thromboembolic complications during endovascular treatment of ruptured cerebral aneurysms. Methods In a monocentric consecutive series of endovascular treatment of 783 ruptured aneurysms, 42 (5.3%) patients received Abciximab after the aneurysm was secured. Bleeding complications were registered and dichotomized as follows: new intracranial hemorrhage and peripheral bleeding. For each patient, World Federation of Neurosurgery (WFNS) subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) grade, shunting, and clinical outcomes in the post-operative period and at 3–6 months were recorded. Results SAH WFNS grades were as follows: grade I n = 14, grade II n = 10, grade III n = 11, grade IV n = 4, grade V n = 3. Ten patients had intracranial hematoma additionally to the SAH prior to embolization. Four patients (9.5%) presented more blood on the post-embolization CT but only one suffered a new clinically relevant intracranial hemorrhage. Two patients (4.8%) experienced significant peripheral bleeding but none were associated with long-term disabilities. Fourteen patients had a shunt installed less than 24 h prior to Abciximab injection and one less than 48 h later. At 3–6-month follow-up, 31 patients (74%) achieved a modified Rankin Scale score (mRS) of 2 or less, six patients (14%) had a mRS of 3–5, three were dead (7%), and two were lost at follow-up. Conclusion When the aneurysm is secured, intra-arterial Abciximab injection is a low complication rate treatment modality for thromboembolic events during embolization of cerebral ruptured aneurysm.

The Treatment of Brain AVMs Study (TOBAS): an all-inclusive framework to integrate clinical care and research

OBJECTIVE The management of brain arteriovenous malformations (bAVMs) remains controversial. The Treatment of Brain AVMs Study (TOBAS) was designed to manage patients with bAVMs within a clinical research framework. The objective of this study was to study trial feasibility, recruitment rates, patient allocation to the various management groups, and compliance with treatment allocation. METHODS TOBAS combines two randomized care trials (RCTs) and a registry. Designed to be all-inclusive, the study offers randomized allocation of interventional versus conservative management to patients eligible for both options (first RCT), a second RCT testing the role of preembolization as an adjunct to surgery or radiotherapy, and a registry of patients managed using clinical judgment alone. The primary outcome of the first RCT is death from any cause or disabling stroke (modified Rankin Scale score > 2) at 10 years. A pilot phase was initiated at one center to test study feasibility, record the number and characteristics of patients enrolled in the RCTs, and estimate the frequency of crossovers. RESULTS All patients discussed at the multidisciplinary bAVM committee between June 2014 and June 2016 (n = 107) were recruited into the study; 46 in the randomized trials (23 in the first RCT with 21 unruptured bAVMs, 40 in the second RCT with 17 unruptured bAVMs, and 17 in both RCTs), and 61 patients in the registry. Three patients crossed over from surgery to observation (first RCT). CONCLUSIONS Clinical research was successfully integrated with normal practice using TOBAS. Recruitment rates in a single center are encouraging. Whether the trial will provide meaningful results depends on the recruitment of a sufficient number of participating centers. Clinical trial registration no.: NCT02098252 (clinicaltrials.gov).

Endovascular treatment of aneurysms and platinum coil caliber: Study protocol of a randomized, controlled trial.

Background Endovascular coil embolization of cerebral aneurysms is an effective treatment for the prevention of aneurysm rebleeding after subarachnoid hemorrhage. It is also often used in unruptured aneurysms, but it is associated with aneurysm remnants and recurrences in up to 20%–33% of patients. We hypothesized that better aneurysm occlusion rates can be achieved with coils of larger caliber. Methods The Does Embolization with Larger coils lead to better Treatment of Aneurysms (DELTA) trial is an investigator-initiated, multicenter, prospective, randomized, controlled clinical trial. To test the hypothesis that 15-caliber coiling systems are superior to 10-caliber coils, 564 patients with aneurysms measuring 4–12 mm will be randomized 1:1 to embolization with either 10-caliber coils exclusively (control group) or the highest safely achievable proportion of 15-caliber coils (intervention group). The primary efficacy endpoint of the trial is the occurrence of a major recurrence or a residual aneurysm at one year. A pilot phase of 165 patients will be conducted to verify feasibility of the coiling strategy, compliance to treatment allocation, safety of a 15-caliber platinum coil embolization strategy, recruitment rates, and the capacity to improve packing density. Discussion The DELTA trial will test the hypothesis that the use of coils of larger caliber can improve angiographic results of endovascular coiling.