Republished: Society for Neuroscience in Anesthesiology and Critical Care expert consensus statement: Anesthetic management of endovascular treatment for acute ischemic stroke

Neurocritical Care of Emergent Large-Vessel Occlusion: The Era of a New Standard of Care

Acute ischemic stroke continues to be one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Recent advances in mechanical thrombectomy techniques combined with prereperfusion computed tomographic angiography for patient selection have revolutionized stroke care in the past year. Peri- and postinterventional neurocritical care of the patient who has had an emergent large-vessel occlusion is likely an equally important contributor to the outcome but has been relatively neglected. Critical periprocedural management issues include streamlining care to speed intervention, blood pressure optimization, reversal of anticoagulation, management of agitation, and selection of anesthetic technique (ie, general vs monitored anesthesia care). Postprocedural critical care issues that might modulate neurological outcome include blood pressure and glucose optimization, avoidance of fever or hyperoxia, fluid and nutritional management, and early integration of rehabilitation into the intensive care unit setting. In this review, we sought to lay down an evidence-based strategy for patients with acute ischemic stroke undergoing emergent endovascular reperfusion.

[Peri-interventional management of acute endovascular stroke treatment]

Due to the ground breaking consistent evidence that supports the effect of endovascular stroke treatment (EST), many acute care hospitals and stroke centers will have to be prepared to provide this treatment in an optimal way within the coming years. In addition to the intervention itself, patient preparation, stabilization and monitoring during the treatment as well as the aftercare represent significant challenges and have mostly not yet been sufficiently investigated. Under these aspects, the questions of optimal sedation and airway management have received the highest attention. Based on retrospective study results it already seems to be justified, respecting certain criteria, to prefer EST with the patient under conscious sedation (CS) in comparison to general anesthesia (GA) and to only switch to GA in cases of emergency until this question has been clarified by prospective studies. This and other aspects of peri-interventional management, such as logistics, monitoring, blood pressure, ventilation settings, postprocedural steps of intensive or stroke unit care and imaging follow-up are summarized in this overview. The clinical and radiological selection of patients and thus the decision for intervention or technical aspects of the intervention itself will not be part of this article.

Clinical Impact of Ventilation Duration in Patients with Stroke Undergoing Interventional Treatment under General Anesthesia: The Shorter the Better?

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Whether general anesthesia for neurothrombectomy in patients with ischemic stroke has a negative impact on clinical outcome is currently under discussion. We investigated the impact of early extubation and ventilation duration in a cohort that underwent thrombectomy under general anesthesia.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We analyzed 103 consecutive patients from a prospective stroke registry. They met the following criteria: CTA-proved large-vessel occlusion in the anterior circulation, ASPECTS above 6 on presenting cranial CT, revascularization by thrombectomy with the patient under general anesthesia within 6 hours after onset of symptoms, and available functional outcome (mRS) 90 days after onset.

RESULTS

The mean ventilation time was 128.07 ± 265.51 hours (median, 18.5 hours; range, 1-1244.7 hours). Prolonged ventilation was associated with pneumonia during hospitalization and unfavorable functional outcome (mRS ≥3) and death at follow-up (Mann-Whitney U test; P ≤ .001). According to receiver operating characteristic analysis, a cutoff after 24 hours predicted unfavorable functional outcome with a sensitivity and specificity of 60% and 78%, respectively. Our results imply that delayed extubation was not associated with a less favorable clinical outcome compared with immediate extubation after the procedure.

CONCLUSIONS

Short ventilation times are associated with a lower pneumonia rate and more favorable clinical outcome. Cautious interpretation of our data implies that whether patients are extubated immediately after the procedure is irrelevant for clinical outcome as long as ventilation does not exceed 24 hours.

Selection of Patients and Anesthetic Types for Endovascular Treatment in Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Background

and Purpose Recent randomized controlled trials have demonstrated consistent effectiveness of endovascular treatment (EVT) for acute ischemic stroke, leading to update on stroke management guidelines. We conducted this meta-analysis to assess the efficacy and safety of EVT overall and in subgroups stratified by age, baseline stroke severity, brain imaging feature, and anesthetic type.

Methods

Published randomized controlled trials comparing EVT and standard medical care alone were evaluated. The measured outcomes were 90-day functional independence (modified Rankin Scale ≤2), all-cause mortality, and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage.

Results

Nine trials enrolling 2476 patients were included (1338 EVT, 1138 standard medical care alone). For patients with large vessel occlusions confirmed by noninvasive vessel imaging, EVT yielded improved functional outcome (pooled odds ratio [OR], 2.02; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.64–2.50), lower mortality (OR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.58–0.97), and similar symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage rate (OR, 1.12; 95% CI, 0.72–1.76) compared with standard medical care. A higher proportion of functional independence was seen in patients with terminus intracranial artery occlusion (±M1) (OR, 3.16; 95% CI, 1.64–6.06), baseline Alberta Stroke Program Early CT score of 8–10 (OR, 2.11; 95% CI, 1.25–3.57) and age ≤70 years (OR, 3.01; 95% CI, 1.73–5.24). EVT performed under conscious sedation had better functional outcomes (OR, 2.08; 95% CI, 1.47–2.96) without increased risk of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage or short-term mortality compared with general anesthesia.

Conclusions

Vessel-imaging proven large vessel occlusion, a favorable scan, and younger age are useful predictors to identify anterior circulation stroke patients who may benefit from EVT. Conscious sedation is feasible and safe in EVT based on available data. However, firm conclusion on the choice of anesthetic types should be drawn from more appropriate randomized controlled trials.

Mechanical thrombectomy in acute ischemic stroke: Consensus statement by ESO-Karolinska Stroke Update 2014/2015, supported by ESO, ESMINT, ESNR and EAN

The original version of this consensus statement on mechanical thrombectomy was approved at the European Stroke Organisation (ESO)-Karolinska Stroke Update conference in Stockholm, 16–18 November 2014. The statement has later, during 2015, been updated with new clinical trials data in accordance with a decision made at the conference. Revisions have been made at a face-to-face meeting during the ESO Winter School in Berne in February, through email exchanges and the final version has then been approved by each society. The recommendations are identical to the original version with evidence level upgraded by 20 February 2015 and confirmed by 15 May 2015. The purpose of the ESO-Karolinska Stroke Update meetings is to provide updates on recent stroke therapy research and to discuss how the results may be implemented into clinical routine. Selected topics are discussed at consensus sessions, for which a consensus statement is prepared and discussed by the participants at the meeting. The statements are advisory to the ESO guidelines committee. This consensus statement includes recommendations on mechanical thrombectomy after acute stroke. The statement is supported by ESO, European Society of Minimally Invasive Neurological Therapy (ESMINT), European Society of Neuroradiology (ESNR), and European Academy of Neurology (EAN).

Type of anesthesia and differences in clinical outcome after intra-arterial treatment for ischemic stroke

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Intra-arterial treatment (IAT) in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) can be performed with or without general anesthesia (GA). Previous studies suggested that IAT without the use of GA (non-GA) is associated with better clinical outcome. Nevertheless, no consensus exists about the anesthetic management during IAT of AIS patients. This study investigates the association between type of anesthesia and clinical outcome in a large cohort of patients with AIS treated with IAT.

METHODS

All consecutive patients with AIS of the anterior circulation who received IAT between 2002 and 2013 in 16 Dutch hospitals were included in the study. Primary outcome was functional outcome on the modified Rankin Scale at discharge. Difference in primary outcome between GA and non-GA was estimated using multiple ordinal regression analysis, adjusting for age, stroke severity, occlusion of the internal carotid artery terminus, previous stroke, atrial fibrillation, and diabetes mellitus.

RESULTS

Three hundred forty-eight patients were included in the analysis; 70 patients received GA and 278 patients did not receive GA. Non-GA was significantly associated with good clinical outcome (odds ratio 2.1, 95% confidence interval 1.02-4.31). After adjusting for prespecified prognostic factors, the point estimate remained similar; statistical significance, however, was lost (odds ratio 1.9, 95% confidence interval 0.89-4.24).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study suggests that patients with AIS of the anterior circulation undergoing IAT without GA have a higher probability of good clinical outcome compared with patients treated with general anesthesia.

To Tube or Not to Tube? The Role of Intubation during Stroke Thrombectomy

In the 10 years since the FDA first cleared the use of endovascular devices for the treatment of acute stroke, definitive evidence that such therapy improves outcomes remains lacking. The decision to intubate patients undergoing stroke thrombectomy impacts multiple variables that may influence outcomes after stroke. Three main areas where intubation may deleteriously affect acute stroke management include the introduction of delays in revascularization, fluctuations in peri-procedural blood pressure, and hypocapnia, resulting in cerebral vasoconstriction. In this mini-review, we discuss the evidence supporting these limitations of intubation during stroke thrombectomy and encourage neurohospitalists, neurocritical care specialists, and neurointerventionalists to carefully consider the decision to intubate during thrombectomy and provide strategies to avoid potential complications associated with its use in acute stroke.