BOBBY balloon guide catheter thrombectomy in large-vessel occlusion stroke: Initial experience

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Nonrandomized studies have found Balloon Guide Catheter (BGC) use to improve technical and functional outcomes in patients undergoing mechanical thrombectomy (MT).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We performed a retrospective analysis on prospectively collected data of consecutive ischemic stroke patients undergoing MT at our institution (December 2020-October 2021). Interventions where BOBBY BGC (BBGC, MicroVentionTM, Aliso Viejo, CA) was used were identified. Baseline demographics and clinico-radiographic characteristics were retrospectively collected and analysed using descriptive statistics.

RESULTS

A total of 43 patients received BBGC-MT (male: female = 26:17, median age 72 years [IQR 62-82]). The most common occlusion site was the middle cerebral artery (MCA) (60.4%). Over half (51.2%) received intravenous thrombolytics. The BBGC tracked well over tortuous aortic arches (type II 34.8%, type III 16.3%), with median arteriotomy-to-perfusion time of 29 min (IQR 20-46). Thromboaspiration was used as first-line MT technique in 69.7% cases, with 1 (IQR 1-2) median MT pass achieving modified TICI (thrombolysis in cerebral ischemia) scores of 3 and 2b/3 in 74.4% and 95.3% respectively. Our overall first pass effect (FPE, defined as mTICI 3 after firs-pass) and modified FPE (defined as, mTICI 2b/3 after first-pass) rates were 51.1% and 79.1% respectively, with rates of 92.3% and 100% respectively when stentretriever and thromboaspiration were combined. The median reduction in National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) was 9 (IQR 4-15, p < 0.0001), with a median 90-day modified Rankin Score (mRS) of 1.5 (IQR 0-2).

CONCLUSIONS

BOBBY BGC use resulted in a high first-pass effect rate and may contribute towards improved functional outcomes.

Management of free-floating thrombus within the arcus aorta and supra-aortic arteries

INTRODUCTION

Clinical management strategy and the best treatment option of free floating thrombus (FFT), detected in patients with acute ischemic cerebrovascular diseases is still uncertain due to the rarity of these conditions. Recent studies emphasize that FFT within cerebral vessels may not be a surgical emergency since complete dissolution without any further neurologic progression occurred in 86% of patients treated medically. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of medical treatment on the fate of thrombus and the clinical status in acute cerebrovascular event patients with detected FFT in the artery feeding the compromised brain territory at the time of diagnosis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We have retrospectively reviewed the initial and follow up computed tomography angiography, diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging examinations of 37 acute ischemic stroke patients with detected FFT and treated medically. The patients were evaluated for any change of the FFT, residual stenosis after the FFT shrunk or disappeared and neurologic outcome.

RESULTS

FFT was located in cervical carotid artery, intracranial artery and arcus aorta in 23, 6 and 5 of the patients respectively. Dissection accompanied the FFT in 3 patients. Recanalization was maintained in 34 patients however, three of them suffered from new infarctions. A total occlusion was detected in three patients. Two of them had new infarcts while one was stable during clinical follow-up period.

CONCLUSION

The results of our retrospective study have shown that FFT in the proximal aorta and supra-aortic arteries tend to resolve with anticoagulant and/or antiplatelet treatment without causing recurrent adverse events in most of the cases. Furthermore, resolution of the clot seems to provide a safer ground for a recanalization procedure like stenting or endarterectomy if needed.