José E. Cohen

Emergent Stenting to Treat Patients With Carotid Artery Dissection Clinically and Radiologically Directed Therapeutic Decision Making

Background and Purpose— Carotid artery dissection (CAD) is a common cause of stroke in young patients. Clots formed at the low-flow zone in the false arterial lumen may give rise to distal emboli, and the mural hematoma may eventually occlude the artery. Anticoagulation is currently the accepted treatment, but it is unknown which patients will improve spontaneously, which will respond to anticoagulation, and which will have an exacerbation of ischemic symptoms despite therapy. Endovascular treatment of CAD may be an attractive alternative to anticoagulation, and methods of identifying patients who stand to benefit from such therapy need to be established. Methods— We present here 3 cases of spontaneous symptomatic CAD in which endovascular stenting procedures were performed on the basis of a paradigm aimed at identifying potentially salvageable but at-risk brain tissue by combining clinical with MRI (diffusion and perfusion) and angiographic data. Results— Diffusion-perfusion MRI mismatches and/or evidence of cerebral ischemia on angiographic parenchymography were identified in all patients. They did not respond to anticoagulation, were therefore treated with endovascular stents, and had excellent outcomes. Conclusions— Endovascular stent placement may be an immediate, effective, and safe method of restoring vessel lumen integrity. It may be considered for selected patients who are clinically symptomatic despite anticoagulant treatment and in whom neuroimaging methods suggest that the neurological signs originate from a viable, hypoperfused, ischemic penumbra.

Olfactory Groove Meningiomas from Neurosurgical and Ear, Nose, and Throat Perspectives: Approaches, Techniques, and Outcomes

OBJECTIVE: To review the surgical approaches, techniques, outcomes, and recurrence rates in a series of 80 olfactory groove meningioma (OGM) patients operated on between 1990 and 2003. METHODS: Eighty patients underwent 81 OGM surgeries. Tumor diameter varied from 2 to 9 cm (average, 4.6 cm). In 35 surgeries (43.2%), the tumor was removed through bifrontal craniotomy; nine operations (11.1%) were performed through a unilateral subfrontal approach; 18 surgeries (22.2%) were performed through a pterional approach; seven surgeries (8.6%) were carried out using a fronto-orbital craniotomy; and 12 procedures (14.8%) were accomplished via a subcranial approach. Nine patients (11.3%) had undergone surgery previously and had recurrent tumor. RESULTS: Total removal was obtained in 72 patients (90.0%); subtotal removal was achieved in 8 patients (10.0%). Two patients, one with total and one with subtotal removal, had atypical (World Health Organization Grade II) meningiomas, whereas 78 patients had World Health Organization Grade I tumors. There was no operative mortality and no new permanent focal neurological deficit besides anosmia. Twenty-five patients (31.3%) experienced surgery-related complications. There were no recurrences in 75 patients (93.8%) 6 to 164 months (mean, 70.8 mo) after surgery. Three patients (3.8%) were lost to follow-up. In two patients (2.5%) with subtotal removal, the residual evidenced growth on computed tomography and/or magnetic resonance imaging 1 year after surgery. One of them had an atypical meningioma. The second, a multiple meningiomata patient, was operated on twice in this series. CONCLUSION: A variety of surgical approaches are used for OGM resection. An approach tailored to the tumor’s size, location, and extension, combined with modern microsurgical cranial base techniques, allows full OGM removal with minimal permanent morbidity, excellent neurological outcome, and very low recurrence rates.

Endovascular Stent-Assisted Angioplasty in the Management of Traumatic Internal Carotid Artery Dissections

Background and Purpose— The prognosis of traumatic dissection of the internal carotid artery is worse than for spontaneous dissections. Rapid stenting followed by antiplatelet therapy may prevent complications when anticoagulation therapy is not applicable. Methods— Patients with angiographically proven traumatic carotid artery dissection and hemodynamic significant hemispheric hypoperfusion, or in whom anticoagulant therapy was either contraindicated or failed clinically, were regarded as being at high risk for stroke and were selected for stenting. Results— Ten patients with traumatic dissection underwent stenting. Endovascular treatment reduced mean dissection stenosis from 69% to 8%. During a mean clinical follow-up time of 16 months, none had additional transient ischemic attacks or stroke. Doppler ultrasound studies did not detect any signs of de novo in-stent stenosis. Conclusion— In selected cases of traumatic carotid artery dissections, endovascular stent-assisted angioplasty immediately restored the integrity of the vessel lumen and prevented efficiently the occurrence of new ischemic events, without additional anticoagulation.

Extracranial carotid artery stenting followed by intracranial stent-based thrombectomy for acute tandem occlusive disease

Objective Acute tandem occlusions of the extracranial internal carotid artery (ICA) and a major intracranial artery respond poorly to intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and present an endovascular challenge. We describe our experience with emergency stent-assisted ICA angioplasty and intracranial stent-based thrombectomy of tandem occlusions. Methods Procedures were performed from March 2010 to December 2013. National Institutes of Health Stroke Score (NIHSS) and Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (ASPECTS), occlusion sites, collateral supply, procedural details, and outcomes were retrospectively reviewed with IRB waiver of informed consent. Results 24 patients, mean age 66 years, mean admission NIHSS 20.4, and mean ASPECTS 9 were included. Occlusion sites were proximal ICA–middle cerebral artery (MCA) trunk in 17 patients, proximal ICA–ICA terminus in six, and ICA–MCA–anterior cerebral artery in one. Stent-assisted cervical ICA recanalization was achieved in all patients, with unprotected pre-angioplasty in 24/24, unprotected stenting in 16/24 (67%), and protected stenting in 8/24 (33%), followed by stent-thrombectomy in 25 intracranial occlusions. There was complete recanalization/complete perfusion in 19/24 (79%), complete recanalization/partial perfusion in 3/24 (13%), and partial recanalization/partial perfusion in 2/24 (8%) with no procedural morbidity/mortality. Mean time to therapy was 3.8 h (range 2–5.5) and mean time to recanalization was 51 min (range 38–69). At 3-month follow-up, among 17/22 surviving patients (77%), 13/17 (76%) were modified Rankin Scale (mRS) 0–2 and 3/17 (18%) were mRS 3. Conclusions In acute tandem ICA–MCA/distal ICA occlusions, extracranial stenting followed by intracranial stent-based thrombectomy appears feasible, effective, and safe. Further evaluation of this treatment strategy is warranted.

Percutaneous vertebroplasty: Technique and results in 192 procedures

Abstract Percutaneous vertebroplasty with acrylic cement (usually polymethylmethacrylate) consists of injecting cement into vertebral bodies weakened by osseous lesions. The objective of this procedure is to obtain an analgesic effect by mechanical stabilization in destructive lesions of the spine. The three major indications are aggressive vertebral hemangiomas, severe or refractory pain related to osteoporotic vertebral fractures, and malignant vertebral tumors. Complications are infrequent, but occur essentially in patients with vertebral malignant tumors. We present our experience with 148 patients that underwent 192 percutaneous PMMA vertebroplasties for the treatment of painful osteoporotic compression fractures (76 patients, 105 vertebral levels), hemangiomas (31 patients, 43 vertebral levels) and neoplasms (31 patients, 43 vertebral levels). In a vast majority of appropriately selected cases and especially in osteoporotic cases, vertebroplasty constitutes a relatively simple procedure with a very high rate of success.

Results of endovascular treatment of traumatic intracranial aneurysms.

OBJECTIVETo present results of early angiographic diagnosis and endovascular treatment of traumatic intracranial aneurysms (TICA). METHODSFrom June 2002 to December 2006, diagnostic angiography was performed on patients with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury that involved a cranial base fracture or a penetrating brain injury with a tract from the penetrating agent that entered at the pterional area, went through the middle cerebral artery candelabra, and crossed the midline. TICAs were treated by various endovascular techniques during the same angiographic procedure. RESULTSThirty-four patients with traumatic brain injury underwent angiography (25 penetrating brain injuries, nine blunt injuries); 13 TICAs were diagnosed (10 penetrating brain injuries, three blunt injuries). The Glasgow Coma Scale score at diagnosis ranged from 5 to 15. Angiography was performed for screening in eight patients and for clinical indications in five patients; 11 TICAs were diagnosed before rupture. Seven aneurysms were located on branches of the middle cerebral artery, two on pericallosal branches of the anterior cerebral artery, and four on the internal carotid artery. No recanalization was detected in 12 patients. One patient treated with a bare stent and coiling had a growing intracavernous pseudoaneurysm; therefore, internal carotid artery occlusion with extracranial-intracranial microvascular bypass was performed. Six patients refused angiographic follow-up, but computed tomographic angiography has failed to show recanalization. No patient presented with delayed bleeding (mean follow-up, 2.6 yr). There were no procedure-related complications or mortality. CONCLUSIONEarly angiographic diagnosis with immediate endovascular treatment provided an effective approach for TICA detection and management. Endovascular therapy is versatile and offers a valuable alternative to surgery, allowing early aneurysm exclusion with excellent results.

Partial aortic obstruction improves cerebral perfusion and clinical symptoms in patients with symptomatic vasospasm

Abstract Objective: Stroke studies in animals showed that aortic obstruction increases cerebral blood flow (CBF) and reduces infarct size. In this study we evaluate the safety and efficacy of a device providing partial and transitory aortic obstruction. Methods: We report the results in 24 selected patients with symptomatic vasospasm by aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage treated by partial and transitory aortic obstruction with a novel device (NeuroFlo™, CoAxia, MN). Aneurysms were secured by coils prior to the procedure. We studied the adverse effects related to the aorta-obstructing device, and changes in CBF and neurological outcome. Results: Mean flow velocity increased in both middle cerebral arteries over 15%, and the score in the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale decreased ≥2 point in 20 patients (83%). During the procedure, three patients developed symptoms that were controlled. At 30 days follow-up, three patients had 6 points (unrelated death), three had 3 points, six had 1 point, and 12 had 0 points, in the modified Rankin scale. Discussion: Partial aortic obstruction was safe, the cerebral blood flow increased without inducing significant hypertension and the neurological defects improved in most of the patients. Efficacy with a better level of evidence will be determined by a randomized study.

Delayed posttraumatic acute subdural hematoma in elderly patients on anticoagulation.

OBJECTIVE:To discuss delayed acute subdural hematoma (DASH), a relatively neglected entity, and to emphasize the potentially elevated risk for DASH among elderly, anticoagulated mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients. METHODS:The authors reviewed clinical and radiological data for four patients who had normal neurological examinations and normal computed tomographic scans after mild TBI, and who subsequently developed DASH and deteriorated rapidly. RESULTS:The patients included two men and two women, aged 65 to 86 years, who presented to the emergency department after mild TBI between January 2002 and June 2004. All were treated with chronic anticoagulation or anti-aggregation therapy. They deteriorated owing to DASH from 9 hours to 3 days after TBI. Three of the four patients underwent craniotomy for evacuation of their hematomas. One patient, who suffered only focal neurological deficit, was treated conservatively, and her hematoma gradually resolved. Two patients died and two reached Glasgow Outcome Scores of 3 and 4 after extended inpatient rehabilitation. CONCLUSION:A suspicion of DASH should be raised in elderly, anticoagulated, mild TBI patients, including those who present to the emergency department with Glasgow Coma Scores of 15 and normal computed tomographic scans after injury. Based on our experience, we recommend that elderly, anticoagulated mild TBI patients should be admitted for 24 to 48 hours of observation after injury.

Clinically successful late recanalization of basilar artery occlusion in childhood: What are the odds?: Case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Acute basilar artery occlusion is an infrequent but potentially fatal cause of stroke, both in adults and children. We present our experience with a 6-year-old child and we investigate the rationality for late treatment of acute basilar occlusion in children. METHODS We report the case of a 6-year-old boy with acute basilar artery occlusion presented with a full blown locked-in syndrome, admitted to the endovascular suite 44 h after the stroke onset, and we review all the reported cases of basilar artery occlusions presented with locked-in syndrome in children. RESULTS Six hours following admission the basilar artery was partially recanalized by intra-arterial thrombolysis combined with mechanical clot angioplasty. After 12 h, the patient was awake, oriented, his speech function was fully restored and he had only a mild right hemiparesis that recovered completely after a month. CONCLUSIONS To our knowledge, this is the first report of complete clinical recovery after delayed (50 h) endovascular recanalization of basilar artery in a child. Intra-arterial thrombolysis combined with cerebral angioplasty, can successfully restore the patency of the basilar artery and the neurologic deficit of children with acute basilar artery occlusion, even after a considerable delay.

Spontaneous thrombosis of cerebral aneurysms presenting with ischemic stroke

Complete spontaneous thrombosis of an unruptured cerebral aneurysm is a rare event that can be discovered incidentally on advanced neuroradiologic studies. Occasionally, this phenomenon may be symptomatic and can present as an ischemic stroke. The presumed mechanism is probably due to extension of the thrombi to the parent vessel, embolization of intra-aneurysmatic thrombi to distal arteries or arterial compression due to increased aneurysm mass effect. We present documented cases of this unusual entity and review the literature.