Monica Manisor

High Frequency of Intracranial Arterial Stenosis and Cannabis Use in Ischaemic Stroke in the Young

Background: Leading aetiologies of ischaemic stroke in young adults are cervico-cerebral arterial dissections and cardio-embolism, but the causes remain undetermined in a considerable proportion of cases. In a few reports, intracranial arterial stenosis has been suggested to be a potential cause of ischaemic stroke in young adults. The aim of our work was to evaluate the frequency, characteristics and risk factors of intracranial arterial stenosis in a prospective series of young ischaemic stroke patients. Methods: The study was based on a prospective consecutive hospital-based series of 159 patients aged 18-45 years who were admitted to our unit for an acute ischaemic stroke from October 2005 to December 2010. A structured questionnaire was used in order to assess common vascular risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, use of tobacco, alcohol and illicit drugs, migraine, and, in women, oral contraceptive use. A systematic screening was performed, including the following: brain magnetic resonance imaging or, if not feasible, brain computed tomography scan, carotid and vertebral Duplex scanning and trans-cranial Doppler sonography, 3D time-of-flight magnetic resonance cerebral angiography or cerebral computed tomography angiography. Long-duration electrocardiography, trans-thoracic and trans-oesophageal echocardiography were performed and laboratory blood investigations were extensive. Urine samples were screened for cannabinoids, cocaine, amphetamine and methylene-dioxy-methamphetamine. When this initial work-up was inconclusive, trans-femoral intra-arterial selective digital subtraction angiography with reconstructed 3D images was performed. Results: In this series, 49 patients (31%) had intracranial arterial stenosis. Other defined causes were found in 91 patients (57%), including cardio-embolism in 32 (20%), cervical dissection in 23 (14%), extracranial atherosclerosis in 7 (4%), haematological disorders in 7 (4%), small vessel disease in 1, and isolated patent foramen ovale in 21 (13%); in 19 patients (12%), ischaemic stroke was related to an undetermined aetiology. Comparing risk factors between patients with intracranial arterial stenosis and those with other definite causes showed that there were only two significant differences: a lower age and a higher frequency of vasoactive substances (especially cannabis) in patients with intracranial arterial stenosis. All intracranial arterial stenosis in patients who used vasoactive substances were located in several intracranial vessels. Conclusions: Intracranial arterial stenosis may be an important mechanism of stroke in young patients and it should be systematically investigated using vascular imaging. Strong questioning about illicit drug consumption (including cannabis) or vasoactive medication use should also be performed. It should be emphasized for health prevention in young adults that cannabis use might be associated with critical consequences such as stroke.

Surgical management of spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas.

Spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas are the most common type of spinal arteriovenous malformations. Treatment options consist of microsurgical exclusion and/or endovascular embolization. We retrospectively identified all patients who benefited from surgical treatment at our tertiary center between January 2001 and December 2008. Clinical and imaging data were collected from patient files, including pre- and post-operative formal neurological examination, complete spine MRI and spinal digital subtraction angiography. Of our 30 patients, 25 were men and five were women with a median age of 62 years (range 24-76). The average delay between symptom onset and clinical diagnosis was 27 months (range 1-90). Complete cure of the fistula was obtained in all patients in a single surgical session with no procedural complications and no surgical morbidity. After a mean follow-up period of 32 months (range 14-128), 25 patients (83%) had improved, four were stable and one worsened. Despite recent advances in endovascular techniques and materials, there is a subgroup of patients for which surgery remains the best treatment option. Careful patient selection, a multidisciplinary approach and standardized surgical techniques can lead to excellent results with virtually no complications.

Flow control using ScepterTM balloons for Onyx embolization of a vein of Galen aneurysmal malformation

PurposeWe present a technical development of the endovascular treatment technique for vein of Galen aneurysmal malformation, using Onyx™ (ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer) delivered under flow control through double-lumen balloon microcatheters.Materials and methodsAn 11-month-old patient that initially presented with increasing head circumference was diagnosed with mural type vein of Galen aneurysmal malformation. Complete cure was obtained in a single endovascular treatment session. Onyx was delivered simultaneously through two double-lumen balloon microcatheters (Scepter™, Microvention, Terumo Group). In both arterial feeders, balloon inflation occluded the high-flow arterial-venous shunting and thus facilitated the controlled propagation of the embolic product in the afferent artery and the shunt point while preventing distal migration into the venous system.ResultsTwo years post-procedure, MR imaging showed persistent occlusion of arterial-venous shunts with complete regression of the venous dilatation. On clinical examination, the patient had no neurological deficits, and no cognitive impairment was detected at neuropsychological testing.ConclusionThe use of double-lumen balloon microcatheters for flow control during delivery of Onyx represents a viable alternative for the endovascular treatment of vein of Galen aneurysmal malformations.

Foramen magnum dural arteriovenous fistula presenting with epilepsy.

Intracranial dural arteriovenous fistulas (dAVFs) with perimedullary drainage represent a rare subtype of intracranial dAVF. Patients usually experience slowly progressive ascending myelopathy and/or lower brainstem signs. We present a case of foramen magnum dural arteriovenous fistula with an atypical clinical presentation. The patient initially presented with a generalised tonic-clonic seizure and no signs of myelopathy, followed one month later by rapidly progressive tetraplegia and respiratory insufficiency. The venous drainage of the fistula was directed both to the left temporal lobe and to the perimedullary veins (type III + V), causing venous congestion and oedema in these areas and explaining this unusual combination of symptoms. Rotational angiography and overlays with magnetic resonance imaging volumes were helpful in delineating the complex anatomy of the fistula. After endovascular embolisation, there was complete remission of venous congestion on imaging and significant clinical improvement. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a craniocervical junction fistula presenting with epilepsy.

Aneurysmal wall imaging in a case of cortical superficial siderosis and multiple unruptured aneurysms

We report a case of interhemispheric and bifrontal cortical superficial siderosis in association with two intracranial aneurysms. The patient had no clinical history suggestive of aneurysm rupture, no feature of amyloid angiopathy or other apparent etiology for cortical siderosis. We performed high resolution brain MRI with dark blood T1 sequences before and after IV contrast injection. An anterior communicating aneurysm showed partial wall enhancement on the posterior wall whereas a left posterior communicating aneurysm did not. In the light of recent reports of the association of wall enhancement with unstable aneurysms, we considered wall enhancement to be a marker of inflammation and remodeling of the aneurysm wall, resulting in chronic hemorrhagic suffusion in the subarachnoid spaces. To our knowledge, this is the first report offering proof for a possible link between apparently unruptured aneurysms and cortical siderosis.

Balloon protection of the Labbé vein during transarterial embolization of a dural arterio-venous fistula.

Introduction Endovascular treatment of type III dural arterio-venous fistulas can be challenging if the fistulous point is close to a functionally important cortical vein. Methods A technique is described for temporary balloon protection of the vein of Labbé during transarterial Onyx embolization of a type III dural arterio-venous fistula. One illustrative case is presented. Careful anatomic consideration of the concerned venous segment (at the insertion point into the lateral sinus) and the choice of balloon minimized the risk of venous rupture. Results Using this method, satisfactory progression of Onyx was obtained within the arterio-venous shunt while preserving the patency of the Labbé vein. Conclusion Temporary balloon protection of the Labbé vein is a feasible option to preserve its patency during embolization of dural arterio-venous fistulas. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first report on the use of temporary balloon protection of a cortical vein.

Mechanical thrombectomy for repeated cerebral tumor embolism from a thoracic sarcomatoid carcinoma

Cerebral embolism originating from intracardiac tumors represents a rare cause of stroke and has been documented in both adult and pediatric populations. We present a patient recently diagnosed with a right pulmonary hilum tumor, invading the pulmonary veins and the left atrium. Two consecutive episodes of large cerebral vessel occlusion in separate vascular territories occurred in the same day and were treated by mechanical thrombectomy. Embolic material retrieved on both occasions contained tumor fragments with peripheral endothelialization. To our knowledge, this is the first report with histological confirmation of cerebral embolism from an invasive extracardiac tumor.

Real-Time Estimation of Core Infarct in Angiography Using Collateral Flow.

Background and Purpose: In order to attribute a diagnostic value to angiographic runs performed before revascularization, we aimed at developing a regional evaluation of leptomeningeal collateral flow that can be used to detect and predict infarction when performing stroke endovascular procedures. Materials and Methods: We evaluated all consecutive patients treated for occlusions in the anterior circulation in our center between 2009 and 2013, with MRI imaging performed before the endovascular procedure. Two readers performed an evaluation of collateral circulation in 5 cortical regions based on the vascular anatomy. Regional scores were correlated with the presence of infarction in the same cortical sector on pretreatment and follow-up imaging. Global collateral scores for each patient were correlated with infarct volumes. Results: In 89 patients with 408 cortical regions, we found a significant correlation between the degree of zonal collateral flow and the absence of infarction in the same zone on pretreatment imaging. In a subgroup of 37 recanalized patients (Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction scale 3) with 173 cortical zones, retrograde collateral flow to the proximal M4 segment predicted the absence of infarction within the same zone on follow-up imaging (positive predictive value 88.7%). We found good inter-rater agreement for the presence of collateral flow to the M4 proximal segment or further - k = 0.77 (p = 0.05, 95% CI 0.66-0.88). Global collateral scores correlated with infarct volume on initial imaging; all patients with scores ≥4 had infarct volumes ≤70 ml, whereas all patients with global collateral scores ≤1 had infarct volumes ≥70 ml. Conclusion: Anatomic collateral flow evaluation using the angiographic runs performed during stroke endovascular procedures can provide a real-time estimation of the volume and location of core infarct. For each cortical region, good collateral flow is associated with the absence of infarct on pre-treatment imaging, and is predictive of the absence of infarct on follow-up imaging in recanalized patients.

Spontaneous thrombosis of a basilar tip aneurysm after ventriculoperitoneal shunting.

We present a case of a large unruptured basilar tip aneurysm with concomitant hydrocephalus. Complete thrombosis of the aneurysm was observed after ventriculoperitoneal shunting. Analyzing preoperative and postoperative MRI and DSA images, we identified reduced intracranial pressure and widening of the aneurysm–artery inclination angle as possible factors influencing spontaneous thrombosis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of aneurysm thrombosis occurring after CSF diversion.

Plateforme expérimentale et modèles expérimentaux de lésions neuro-vasculaires chez le porc pour la formation pratique en neuroradiologie interventionnelle

Objectif La formation pratique en neuroradiologie est longue et difficile. La notion de risque est intrinsèque à la spécialité et la législation en ce domaine est au stade des recommandations. Nos objectifs sont de développer l’organisation d’une plateforme expérimentale de NRIV, de créer des modèles expérimentaux comparables à la pathologie neurovasculaire et d’en tester la pertinence en conditions réelles d’apprentissage. Matériels et méthodes Mise en place de l’organisation de la plateforme expérimentale de l’IHU-Strasbourg, permettant l’enseignement pratique de procédures de NRIV et le développement de modèles expérimentaux pour la recherche et le développement de nouveaux matériaux. La plateforme comporte une machine d’angiographie numérisée, un scanner avec arceau mo-bile, une IRM 1,5T et un écho-graphe. Plusieurs porcs ont été utilisés pour créer des modèles utiles pour la formation en neuroradiologie: anévrysmes sacciformes, FAV au niveau carotido-jugulaire, MAV au niveau du rete mira-bilis hypervascularisé, modèle de thrombose vasculaire. Résultats Nous avons réalisé 32 anévrysmes chez 16 porcs pour l’apprentissage des différents matériels d’embolisation (coils, stents,..). La création de FAV (n=2) a permis l’apprentissage des techniques d’abord artériels et veineux et l’utilisation de matériels spécifiques. Le rete mirabilis a été utilisé (n=3) comme modèle de MAV et embolisé avec des matériels liquides. Les modèles d’AVC (n=32) ont été réalisés sur les branches de l’artère carotide externe et différents systèmes de thrombectomie ont été utilisés. Un modèle d’AVC intracrânien est en cours de développement. Ces modèles ont permis la formation de jeunes neuroradiologues et l’entraînement à l’usage de nouveaux matériaux pour des neuroradiologues aguerris (100 personnes en 2013). Conclusion L’organisation d’une plateforme expérimentale et le développement de modèles expérimentaux ont permis la formation pratique des neuro-radiologues interventionnels en conditions réelles d’apprentissage anticipant ainsi l’évolution probable de la législation en la matière.