Imran Chaudry

ADAPT FAST study: a direct aspiration first pass technique for acute stroke thrombectomy.

Background The development of new revascularization devices has improved recanalization rates and time, but not clinical outcomes. We report a prospectively collected clinical experience with a new technique utilizing a direct aspiration first pass technique with large bore aspiration catheter as the primary method for vessel recanalization. Methods 98 prospectively identified acute ischemic stroke patients with 100 occluded large cerebral vessels at six institutions were included in the study. The ADAPT technique was utilized in all patients. Procedural and clinical data were captured for analysis. Results The aspiration component of the ADAPT technique alone was successful in achieving Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction (TICI) 2b or 3 revascularization in 78% of cases. The additional use of stent retrievers improved the TICI 2b/3 revascularization rate to 95%. The average time from groin puncture to at least TICI 2b recanalization was 37 min. A 5MAX demonstrated similar success to a 5MAX ACE in achieving TICI 2b/3 revascularization alone (75% vs 82%, p=0.43). Patients presented with an admitting median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score of 17.0 (12.0–21.0) and improved to a median NIHSS score at discharge of 7.3 (1.0–11.0). Ninety day functional outcomes were 40% (modified Rankin Scale (mRS) 0–2) and 20% (mRS 6). There were two procedural complications and no symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhages. Discussion The ADAPT technique is a fast, safe, simple, and effective method that has facilitated our approach to acute ischemic stroke thrombectomy by utilizing the latest generation of large bore aspiration catheters to achieve previously unparalleled angiographic outcomes.

Initial clinical experience with the ADAPT technique: A direct aspiration first pass technique for stroke thrombectomy

Background The development of new revascularization devices has improved recanalization rates and time but not clinical outcomes. We report our initial results with a new technique utilizing a direct aspiration first pass technique with a large bore aspiration catheter as the primary method for vessel recanalization. Methods A retrospective evaluation of a prospectively captured database of 37 patients at six institutions was performed on patients where the ADAPT technique was utilized. The data represent the initial experience with this technique. Results The ADAPT technique alone was successful in 28 of 37 (75%) cases although six cases had large downstream emboli that required additional aspiration. Nine cases required the additional use of a stent retriever and one case required the addition of a Penumbra aspiration separator to achieve recanalization. The average time from groin puncture to at least Thrombolysis in Cerebral Ischemia (TICI) 2b recanalization was 28.1 min, and all cases were successfully revascularized. TICI 3 recanalization was achieved 65% of the time. On average, patients presented with an admitting National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score of 16.3 and improved to an NIHSS score of 4.2 by the time of hospital discharge. There was one procedural complication. Discussion This initial experience highlights the fact that the importance of the technique with which new stroke thrombectomy devices are used may be as crucial as the device itself. The ADAPT technique is a simple and effective approach to acute ischemic stroke thrombectomy. Utilizing the latest generation of large bore aspiration catheters in this fashion has allowed us to achieve excellent clinical and angiographic outcomes.

Distal aspiration with retrievable stent assisted thrombectomy for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke

Objective Flexible large lumen aspiration catheters and stent retrievers have recently become available in the USA for the revascularization of large vessel occlusions presenting within the context of acute ischemic stroke (AIS). We describe a multicenter experience using a combined aspiration and stent retrieval technique for thrombectomy. Design A retrospective analysis to identify patients receiving combined manual aspiration and stent retrieval for treatment of AIS between August 2012 and April 2013 at six high volume stroke centers was conducted. Outcome variables, including recanalization rate, post-treatment National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage, discharge 90 day modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score, and mortality were evaluated. Results 105 patients were found that met the inclusion criteria for this retrospective study. Successful recanalization (Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction score 2B) was achieved in 92 (88%) of these patients. 44% of patients had favorable (mRS score 0–2) outcomes at 90 days. There were five (4.8%) symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhages and three procedure related deaths (2.9%). Conclusions Mechanical thrombectomy utilizing combined manual aspiration with a stent retriever is an effective and safe strategy for endovascular recanalization of large vessel occlusions presenting within the context of AIS.

A Multicenter Study of Stent-Assisted Coiling of Cerebral Aneurysms With a Y Configuration

BACKGROUND Stent-assisted coiling with 2 stents in a Y configuration is a technique for coiling complex wide-neck bifurcation aneurysms. OBJECTIVE We sought to provide long-term clinical and angiographic outcomes with Y-stent coiling, which are not currently established. METHODS Seven centers provided deidentified, retrospective data on all consecutive patients who underwent stent-assisted coiling for an intracranial aneurysm with a Y-stent configuration. RESULTS Forty-five patients underwent treatment by Y-stent coiling. Their mean age was 57.9 years. Most aneurysms were basilar apex (87%), and 89% of aneurysms were unruptured. Mean size was 9.9 mm. Most aneurysms were treated with 1 open-cell and 1 closed-cell stent (51%), with 29% treated with open-open stents and 16% treated with 2 closed-cell stents. Initial aneurysm occlusion was excellent (84% in Raymond grade I or II). Procedural complications occurred in 11% of patients. Mean clinical follow-up was 7.8 months, and 93% of patients had a modified Rankin Scale score of 0 to 2 at last follow-up. Mean angiographic follow-up was 9.8 months, and 92% of patients had Raymond grade I or II occlusion on follow-up imaging. Of those patients with initial Raymond grade III occlusion and follow-up imaging, all but 1 patient progressed to a better occlusion grade (83%; P < .05). Three aneurysms required retreatment because of recanalization (10%). There was no difference in initial or follow-up angiographic occlusion, clinical outcomes, incidence of aneurysm retreatment, or in-stent stenosis among open-open, open-closed, or closed-closed stent groups. CONCLUSION In a large multicenter series of Y-stent coiling for bifurcation aneurysms, there were low complication rates and excellent clinical and angiographic outcomes.

CT perfusion-guided patient selection for endovascular recanalization in acute ischemic stroke: a multicenter study

Background The treatment of acute ischemic stroke is traditionally centered on time criteria, although recent evidence suggests that physiologic neuroimaging may be useful. In a multicenter study we evaluated the use of CT perfusion, regardless of time from symptom onset, in patients selected for intra-arterial treatment of ischemic stroke. Methods Three medical centers retrospectively assessed stroke patients with a National Institute of Health Stroke Scale of ≥8, regardless of time from symptom onset. CT perfusion maps were qualitatively assessed. Patients with defined salvageable penumbra underwent intra-arterial revascularization of their occlusion. Functional outcome using the modified Rankin Score (mRS) was recorded. Results Two hundred and forty-seven patients were selected to undergo intra-arterial treatment based on CT perfusion imaging. The median time from symptom onset to procedure was 6 h. Patients were divided into two groups for analysis: ≤8 h and >8 h from symptom onset to endovascular procedure. We found no difference in functional outcome between the two groups (42.8% and 41.9% achieved 90-day mRS ≤ 2, respectively (p=1.0), and 54.9% vs 55.4% (p=1.0) achieved 90-day mRS ≤ 3, respectively). Overall, 48 patients (19.4%) had hemorrhages, of which 20 (8.0%) were symptomatic, with no difference between the groups (p=1.0). Conclusions In a multicenter study, we demonstrated similar rates of good functional outcome and intracranial hemorrhage in patients with ischemic stroke when endovascular treatment was performed based on CT perfusion selection rather than time-guided selection. Our findings suggest that physiologic imaging-guided patient selection rather than time for endovascular reperfusion in ischemic stroke may be effective and safe.

CT perfusion-guided patient selection for endovascular treatment of acute ischemic stroke is safe and effective

Background Traditional treatment in acute ischemic stroke is based on time criteria when administering intravenous and intra-arterial therapies. However, recent evidence suggests that image-based criteria may be useful for selecting patients for intra-arterial interventions. The use of CT perfusion (CTP)-based criteria, regardless of time from symptom onset, in patient selection for intra-arterial treatment of ischemic stroke was assessed. Methods Patients with ischemic stroke who presented to the emergency department at the Medical University of South Carolina with a National Institute of Health Stroke Scale score of ≥ 8, regardless of time from symptom onset, were assessed retrospectively. CTP maps were qualitatively assessed for the presence of penumbra and infarction. Selected patients underwent mechanical aspiration of their occlusion using the Penumbra system. Functional outcome was then recorded using the modified Rankin scale (mRS) at 90 days or the closest follow-up to 90 days. Results 53 patients were included in the study. The median time from symptom onset to groin vascular access was 6.3 h. Eight patients (15%) had bleeding complications including subarachnoid hemorrhage, parenchymal hemorrhage and intraventricular hemorrhage. After CTP-based selection, the patients were divided into two groups for analysis: ≤6 h and >6 h from symptom onset to endovascular procedure. No difference was found in functional outcome between the two groups (38.5% and 40.7% achieved 90-day mRS ≤2, respectively (p=1.0) and 57.7% and 51.9% achieved 90-day mRS ≤3, respectively (p=0.785)). There was no difference in the rate of intracranial hemorrhage between the two groups (11.5 vs 18.5, p=0.704). Conclusion This study demonstrated similar rates of good functional outcome and intracranial hemorrhage in patients with ischemic stroke when endovascular treatment was performed based on CTP selection rather than time-guided selection. These findings suggest that endovascular reperfusion in ischemic stroke may be effective and safe, and may allow patient selection not solely based on time from symptom onset.

Effect of Carotid Artery Stenting on Cognitive Function in Patients With Carotid Artery Stenosis: Preliminary Results

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:Stenosis of the carotid artery may be a cause of reduced cognitive performance that can be ameliorated with placement of a stent. The goal of this study was to measure cognitive performance and speed of psychomotor performance prospectively before and after carotid stent placement. MATERIALS AND METHODS:Patients referred for stent placement for a unilateral carotid artery stenosis were enrolled in the study. Neuropsychologic testing was performed with a Mini-Mental State Examination, an extended mental status examination, a subjective cognitive status measure, and a psychomotor performance test for speed. The severity of the stenosis was measured on angiograms performed before stent placement. Three months after stent placement, CT angiograms were performed and the neuropsychologic testing was repeated. Differences in neuropsychologic test scores before and after stent placement were calculated and tested for significance with a Student t test. RESULTS:Seventeen patients with a single unilateral carotid stenosis of more than 50% completed the study. Stenosis of the carotid artery averaged 80% before treatment and 18% after treatment. After stenting, the scores from the extended mental status examination improved significantly. The scores from the subjective cognitive status measure also improved. No significant change was noted in the scores from the Mini-Mental State Examination or in the speed of psychomotor performance. CONCLUSION:Carotid stent placement in patients with a unilateral stenosis of the carotid artery resulted in significant improvement in cognitive test scores in this highly selected patient group. Further studies are needed to confirm these preliminary observations.

Long term experience using the ADAPT technique for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke

Introduction The direct aspiration first pass technique (ADAPT) has been introduced as a simple and fast method for achieving good angiographic and clinical outcomes using large bore aspiration catheters for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke (AIS). We present a single centers long term experience with ADAPT. Methods Retrospective analysis of a database was gathered on patients undergoing stroke thrombectomy with ADAPT at a stroke center. Specific parameters captured included age, gender, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score at presentation, time to presentation from last normal, and modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score at the 90 day follow-up. Radiological and angiographic imaging was reviewed to document the location of the vascular occlusion, Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction (TICI) flow postprocedure, and procedural complications. Results 191 consecutive patients who suffered an AIS treated with ADAPT were reviewed; 91 were women, and mean age was 67 years. Patients presented with a mean NIHSS score of 15.4, and 71 patients received intravenous tissue plasminogen activator. The average time from onset to puncture was 7.8 h. The average time for recanalization was 37.3 min. TICI 2B or better recanalization was achieved in 180 (94.2%) patients. 98 (54.1%) patients had an mRS of 0–2 at 90 days. Direct aspiration alone was performed in 145 cases, and 43 cases required the additional use of a stent retriever. There was no significant difference in presenting NIHSS score, average time to presentation, average mRS at 90 days, or 90 day mortality between the two groups. Time to recanalization was 29.6 min for direct aspiration compared with 61.4 min in cases that required adjunct devices (p=0.00000201). 79 (57.7%) patients who underwent direct aspiration only achieved a good outcome at 90 days (mRS 0–2) compared with 19 (43.2%) who underwent adjunct therapies (p=0.12). Conclusions ADAPT is an effective method to achieve good clinical and angiographic outcomes, and serves as a useful firstline method for revascularization.

The SPEED study: initial clinical evaluation of the Penumbra novel 054 Reperfusion Catheter

Background and purpose Revascularization of acute ischemic stroke from a large vessel occlusion continues to be a challenge with current thrombectomy devices. The purpose of the SPEED study was to report the safety and effectiveness of the Penumbra 054 Reperfusion Catheter System in revascularizing large vessel occlusions. Methods In this retrospective multicenter study, data were collected from patients with angiographic evidence of large vessel occlusion treated with the Penumbra 054 device as the intended primary therapy. Clinical outcome data were collected with 90-day follow-up and the results were compared with those from the Penumbra Pivotal trial. Results Eighty-seven target vessels in 86 consecutive patients treated with the Penumbra 054 device were included. The Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) 2 or 3 revascularization rate was 91% compared with a reported 82% in the Penumbra Pivotal trial. This was accomplished in a median time of 20 min compared with 45 min in the Penumbra Pivotal trial (p<0.0001). Eighteen (21%) patients experienced an intracranial hemorrhage of which 12 (14%) were symptomatic. Good neurologic outcome (modified Rankin scores ≤ 2) at 90-day follow-up was achieved in 34.9% of patients compared with 25% reported in the Penumbra Pivotal trial. All-cause mortality was 25.6%. Conclusions These results suggest that the Penumbra 054 is a fast, safe and effective revascularization tool for patients experiencing ischemic stroke secondary to large vessel occlusive disease. Improvements in speed and effectiveness of revascularization probably contributed to improved outcomes.

A prospective, multicenter pilot study investigating the utility of flat detector derived parenchymal blood volume maps to estimate cerebral blood volume in stroke patients

Purpose Newer flat panel angiographic detector (FD) systems have the capability to generate parenchymal blood volume (PBV) maps. The ability to generate these maps in the angiographic suite has the potential to markedly expedite the triage and treatment of patients with acute ischemic stroke. The present study compares FP-PBV maps with cerebral blood volume (CBV) maps derived using standard dynamic CT perfusion (CTP) in a population of patients with stroke. Methods 56 patients with cerebrovascular ischemic disease at two participating institutions prospectively underwent both standard dynamic CTP imaging followed by FD-PBV imaging (syngo Neuro PBV IR; Siemens, Erlangen, Germany) under a protocol approved by both institutional review boards. The feasibility of the FD system to generate PBV maps was assessed. The radiation doses for both studies were compared. The sensitivity and specificity of the PBV technique to detect (1) any blood volume deficit and (2) a blood volume deficit greater than one-third of a vascular territory, were defined using standard dynamic CTP CBV maps as the gold standard. Results Of the 56 patients imaged, PBV maps were technically adequate in 42 (75%). The 14 inadequate studies were not interpretable secondary to patient motion/positioning (n=4), an injection issue (n=2), or another reason (n=8). The average dose for FD-PBV was 219 mGy (median 208) versus 204 mGy (median 201) for CT-CBV. On CT-CBV maps 26 of 42 had a CBV deficit (61.9%) and 15 (35.7%) had a deficit that accounted for greater than one-third of a vascular territory. FD-PBV maps were 100% sensitive and 81.3% specific to detect any CBV deficit and 100% sensitive and 62.9% specific to detect any CBV deficit of greater than one-third of a territory. Conclusions PBV maps can be generated using FP systems. The average radiation dose is similar to a standard CTP examination. PBV maps have a high sensitivity for detecting CBV deficits defined by conventional CTP. PBV maps often overestimate the size of CBV deficits. We hypothesize that the FP protocol initiates PBV imaging prior to complete saturation of the blood volume in areas perfused via indirect pathways (ie, leptomeningeal collaterals), resulting in an overestimation of CBV deficits, particularly in the setting of large vessel occlusion.