Carotid cutdown for mechanical thrombectomy in the setting of intravenous tissue plasminogen activator: A technical report

Rescue of immediate post-transcarotid artery revascularization carotid stent thrombosis due to clopidogrel resistance using flow-reversal and aspiration thrombectomy

An 84-year-old patient developed immediate thrombosis of his carotid stent in recovery after transcarotid artery revascularization. In the present report, the technical details about intraoperative management for neurovascular rescue using the transcarotid artery revascularization flow-reversal system are described. The patient was determined to have clopidogrel resistance. Intraoperative medical management is also discussed. The current alternative intravenous and oral antiplatelet therapies such as glycoprotein IIb/IIIa and P2Y12 inhibitors are explored. The debate regarding preoperative antiplatelet resistance testing remains ambiguous, and increasing studies have demonstrated the safety and efficacy of alternatives to clopidogrel. Despite an unpredictable and devastating complication, the patient's outcome was successful using contemporary strategies.

Patient and procedure selection for mechanical thrombectomy: Toward personalized medicine and the role of artificial intelligence

Mechanical thrombectomy (MT) for ischemic stroke due to large vessel occlusion is standard of care. Evidence-based guidelines on eligibility for MT have been outlined and evidence to extend the treatment benefit to more patients, particularly those at the extreme ends of a stroke clinical severity spectrum, is currently awaited. As patient selection continues to be explored, there is growing focus on procedure selection including the tools and techniques of thrombectomy and associated outcomes. Artificial intelligence (AI) has been instrumental in the area of patient selection for MT with a role in diagnosis and delivery of acute stroke care. Machine learning algorithms have been developed to detect cerebral ischemia and early infarct core, presence of large vessel occlusion, and perfusion deficit in acute ischemic stroke. Several available deep learning AI applications provide ready visualization and interpretation of cervical and cerebral arteries. Further enhancement of AI techniques to potentially include automated vessel probe tools in suspected large vessel occlusions is proposed. Value of AI may be extended to assist in procedure selection including both the tools and technique of thrombectomy. Delivering personalized medicine is the wave of the future and tailoring the MT treatment to a stroke patient is in line with this trend.