Solitaire FR thrombectomy system: immediate results in 56 consecutive acute ischemic stroke patients

Beyond the time window of intravenous thrombolysis: standing by or by stenting?

Intravenous administration of tissue plasminogen activator within 4.5 h of symptom onset is presently the 'golden rule' for treating acute ischemic stroke. However, many patients miss the time window and others reject this treatment due to a long list of contraindications. Mechanical embolectomy has recently progressed as a potential alternative for treating patients beyond the time window for IV thrombolysis. In this paper, recent progress in mechanical embolectomy, angioplasty, and stenting in acute stroke is reviewed. Despite worries concerning the long-term clinical outcomes and increased risk of intracranial hemorrhage, favorable clinical outcomes may be achieved after mechanical embolectomy in carefully selected patients even 4.5 h after stroke onset. Potential steps should be prepared and attempted in these patients whose opportunity for recovery will elapse in a flash.

Manual aspiration thrombectomy through balloon-tipped guide catheter for rapid clot burden reduction in endovascular therapy for ICA L/T occlusion

INTRODUCTION

Timely recanalization during endovascular procedures for acute ischemic stroke can be challenging in cases with large clot burden, such as those encountered in the terminal internal carotid T- or L-type occlusion.

METHODS

A novel but simple technique to achieve fast reduction in clot burden in stroke patients with occlusion of the internal carotid artery termination is described where manual suction using a 60-ml syringe applied through an 8-F balloon guide catheter positioned in the cervical carotid vasculature with proximal flow arrest allows subsequent revascularization of the residual middle cerebral artery clot.

RESULTS

The use of manual suction through a balloon-tipped guide catheter in internal carotid artery L- or T-type occlusion is illustrated. This resulted in a significant reduction of the clot burden and facilitated further interventions leading to full recanalization.

CONCLUSION

Manual suction using a 60-ml syringe through a balloon guide catheter is a useful and feasible technique that facilitates thrombectomy of large burden cerebral clots.

Safety and efficacy of mechanical thrombectomy with solitaire stent retrieval for acute ischemic stroke: a systematic review

Purpose

In recent years, mechanical thrombectomy using Solitaire stent retrieval has been tried for treating acute ischemic stroke with a large artery occlusion. We systematically reviewed published articles to appraise the evidence that supports the safety and efficacy of the mechanical thrombectomy in acute strokes with Solitaire stent.

Materials and Methods

Systematic searches using Medline and Scopus were performed for studies evaluating mechanical thrombectomy using a Solitaire stent in acute ischemic stroke. Articles were included if they were published since 2008, contained at least 5 subjects, and provided clinical results.

Results

Thirteen articles (262 cases) were included in this review. The mean time of the procedures ranged from 37 to 95.6 minutes in 10 studies. The success of recanalization was achieved in 89.7% and the recanalization rate varied from 66.7% to 100% in all 13 studies. The overall rates of the symptomatic hemorrhagic complications and mortality were 6.8% and 11.1%, respectively. A favorable outcome of mRS 2 or under was 47.3%. Procedure-induced complications developed in 3.4%.

Conclusion

The present review suggested that mechanical thrombectomy using a Solitaire stent in acute ischemic stroke was effective in recanalizing the occluded artery. The rate of procedural complications was small.

Stenting in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke: literature review

Recanalization of acute large artery occlusions is a strong predictor of good outcome. The development of thrombectomy devices resulted in a significant improvement in recanalization rates compared to thrombolytics alone. However, clinical trials and registries with these thrombectomy devices in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) have shown recanalization rates in the range of 40-81%. The last decade has seen the development of nickel titanium self-expandable stents (SES). These stents, in contrast to balloon-mounted stents, allow better navigability and deployment in tortuous vessels and therefore are optimal for the cerebral circulation. SES were initially used for stent-assisted coil embolization of intracranial aneurysms and for treatment of intracranial stenosis. However, a few authors have recently reported feasibility of deployment of SES in AIS. The use of these devices yielded higher recanalization rates compared to traditional thrombectomy devices. Encouraged by these results, retrievable SES systems have been recently used in AIS. These devices offer the advantage of resheathing and retrieving of the stent even after full deployment. Some of these stents can also be detached in case permanent stent placement is needed. Retrievable SES are being used in Europe and currently tested in clinical trials in the United States. We review the recent literature in the use of stents for the treatment of AIS secondary to large vessel occlusion.