Basilar artery disease —Clinical outcome and doppler sonographical follow-up

Summary In the past 5 years we have investigated 29 patients with symptomatic basilar artery stenoses (14 cases) and occlusions (14) and a patent primitive trigeminal artery with thin-calibered basilar and vertebral arteries (1) using directional continuous-wave Doppler sonography of the vertebral arteries. A total of 19 patients survived, and 17 of them were clinically and sonographically reexamined after 40.4 ± 15.8 months (mean ± SD). Among the 8 patients with basilar stenoses, 6 — with no further transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) in the interval — exhibited an increase in the summed modified Pourcelot indices (relative end-diastolic flow velocities) of the vertebrals by 0.18 ± 0.16; the other 2 showed a decrease by 0.26 each, in 1 case temporally related to a TIA, in the 2nd case without further clinical deterioration. In the 8 survivors with basilar occlusions, 5 remained — by sonographic criteria — unchanged with summed modified Pourcelot indices of the vertebrals of 0.00, while 3 patients exhibited a slight increase in the summed modified Pourcelot indices of 0.13 ± 0.03. While the difference between the outcome of subsets of patients treated with regimens of 30,000–40,000 units heparin/day or phenprocoumon and less radical drugs were statistically not significant, the former regimen appeared clinically more efficacious in preventing further deterioration in approximately two-thirds of the patients affected. Due to the potential recurrence of neurological symptoms, a treatment period with phenprocoumon of 6 months after discharge from hospital appears justified. Due to these therapeutic efforts, approximately half of the patients initially affected survived with no or only a mild neurological deficit. Directional continuous-wave Doppler sonography is, in our opinion, a reliable technique for examining the short- and long-term changes in peripheral vascular resistance.Herm Prof. Dr. H. Gänshirt anläßlich seiner Emeritierung in Dankbarkeit gewidmet     

Early thrombolysis in stroke due to basilar artery occlusion

Basilar artery occlusion is usually associated with a poor prognosis. Nevertheless, intra-arterial thrombolysis has been shown to improve clinical outcome in selected cases. We report the case of a 29-year-old patient who suffered a severe ischemic stroke due to basilar artery occlusion and who was treated with intra-arterial thrombolysis within 3 h of symptoms onset; treatment was followed by an almost full functional recovery. The young age of the patient, short segment occlusion in the middle tract of the artery, good collateral supply, and early recanalization may account for the favorable prognosis. Received: 7 August 2001 / Accepted in revised form: 18 October 2001     

Doppler study of the ophthalmic artery in patients with carotid occlusive disease

Assessing the adequacy of collateral circulatory pathways has become increasingly important in the investigation of cerebral circulation. Using transorbital Doppler ultrasonography (TOD), we examined the ophthalmic artery (OA) in patients with hernodynamic significant internal carotid artery (ICA) occlusive disease. The velocity and the direction of flow in the OA were studied in 45 patients (occlusion n = 27, stenosis > 75% n = 18), and in 30 age matched controls, under baseline conditions and within 30 minutes after the i.v. administration of 1 g acetazolamide as a vasodilatory stimulus. Based on the direction of flow before and after acetazolamide, the 45 patients could be separated into four groups with increasing degree of ICA lesions. In group I the OA flow was anterograde, but the velocity decreased after acetazolamide. In group II the OA direction became retrograde after acetazolamide, indicating collateral flow to the brain. In patients with retrograde OA flow following acetazolamide injection (group 11-IV), the vessel reacted similarly to an intracranial artery, with marked increase in velocity when vasoreactivity was tested. TOD and the acetazolamide test provide useful information about potential collateral OA flow to the brain in patients with ICA occlusive disease.     

周围动脉闭塞性疾病与脑卒中的关系

目的 探讨周围动脉闭塞性疾病(PAOD)与脑卒中的关系.方法 对北京万寿路地区1730名60岁以上老年人进行电话访问、神经系统查体及多普勒检查,按照PAOD及脑卒中的诊断标准进行诊断,对其中有PAOD患者的高血压、冠心病、糖尿病患病率与非PAOD者进行比较.结果 1730名被调查者中发现PAOD 263例(15.2%),PAOD患者的高血压、冠心病、糖尿病、脑卒中患病率(分别为59.3%,40.3%,29.3%,22.3%)均高于非PAOD者(48.1%,32.6%,23.0%,15.2%),两者比较有统计学意义(均P<0.05).结论 PAOD与脑卒中之间有显著的相关性,是全身动脉硬化性疾病的不同表现形式.     

大脑中动脉粥样硬化性狭窄患者卒中类型分析

目的研究大脑中动脉粥样硬化性狭窄或闭塞(MCAOD)患者的卒中类型及其发病机制。方法经TCD和(或)MRA确诊的症状性MCAOD的患者,依据头部弥散加权核磁成像(DWI)所示梗死灶的特点进行分类,并与MCA狭窄程度进行相关性分析。结果84例症状性MCAOD患者中,73.8%的患者表现为多发性脑梗死,主要累及内交界区(53.6%)、半卵圆中心(29.1%)和皮层(22.6%)。皮层区域内梗死、交界区梗死、深部小梗死灶的发生率分别为46.4%、56.0%和44.0%,以多发小灶性梗死为主,很少引起MCA主干支完全梗死。且皮层支完全梗死、半卵圆中心梗死与严重MCA狭窄有关,而腔隙样梗死多见于轻度MCAOD患者。结论MCAOD患者可表现为各种梗死类型,以交界区梗死最常见,且多发性脑梗死为MCAOD患者最常见的表现类型,主要累及皮层下白质等部位,病灶以链型或弧线型分布为特点,动脉-动脉栓塞为其发病机制之一;深部小梗死多为孤立病灶,与MCA主干粥样硬化斑继发的血栓堵塞豆纹动脉入口有关。     

Solitaire~(TM)支架取栓治疗急性基底动脉闭塞研究

目的评估急性基底动脉闭塞患者使用SolitaireTM支架机械取栓的有效性和安全性,分析其临床预后的影响因素。方法回顾性分析本中心连续入组的30例急性基底动脉闭塞患者,均使用SolitaireTM支架设备进行机械取栓治疗分析支架,分析取栓治疗的再通率及并发症,评估治疗90 d临床预后,分析影响临床预后的因素。结果 30例患者均顺利完成机械取栓手术。患者平均年龄为(58.6±8.4)岁,术前美国国立卫生研究院卒中量表(National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale,NIHSS)评分中位数25.5分(21.3,29.5),格拉斯哥昏迷量表(Glasgow Coma Scale,GCS)评分中位数8分(6.0,9.8),改良Rankin量表(modified Rankin Scale,m RS)评分中位数5分(5.0,5.0)。成功再通[脑梗死溶栓分级(Thrombolysis in Cerebral Ischemia Scale,TICI)3或2b级]28例(93.3%),6例(20.0%)发生症状性颅内出血,9例(30.0%)患者预后良好(m RS 0~2分)。9例死亡,死亡率为30.0%(9/30)。术前患者意识不清(P=0.014)及m RS评分较高(P=0.020)与不良预后(m RS2分)相关。结论使用SolitaireTM支架进行急性基底动脉闭塞患者的机械取栓,有较高的再通率,能够改善功能性预后。     

后循环供血区缺血性脑卒中患者的椎、基底动脉血管形态改变的影像学分析

目的 探讨后循环供血区缺血性脑卒中(PCIS)患者的椎动脉、基底动脉血管形态的影像学改变。方法 回顾分析2012年1月～2016年2月136例PCIS患者的MRI、CTA影像学资料,总结该类患者血管形态学改变的影像学特点,同期前循环缺血性脑卒中127例为对照组。结果(1)PCIS组136例血管形态改变者128例,占94.12%,其中扭曲45例(33.09%),狭窄35例(25.74%),纤细23例(16.91%),闭塞13例(9.56%),异常粗大7例(5.15%); 非PCIS组127例,血管形态改变者46例(36.22%),其中狭窄17例,扭曲、纤细等29例;(2)2组血管形态异常发生率比较有明显差异(P<0.01)。结论 PCIS患者椎动脉、基底动脉血管形态存在异常改变。椎、基底动脉扭曲、发育纤细、粗大等和狭窄性病变的血管形态改变可能均为PCIS的重要危险因素之一。     

116例大脑中动脉病变患者脑梗死类型分布和脑灌注异常分析

目的 应用神经影像检查,分析大脑中动脉闭塞性疾病(MCAOD)患者梗死类型分布和脑灌注异常. 方法 对经CT血管造影(CTA)证实的116例MCAOD患者的CT平扫、CT灌注成像(CTP)和CTA的影像资料进行回顾性分析,确定其脑梗死类型分布和脑灌注改变. 结果 116例患者中,CTA共检出133条大脑中动脉(MCA)狭窄或闭塞,其中单侧者99例,双侧者17例.其中MCA闭塞25条,重度狭窄39条,中、轻度狭窄69条.CT或MRI显示腔隙性脑梗死(LIS)45例,各型分水岭脑梗死(CWSI)38例,流域性脑梗死26例,纹状体内囊梗死(SCI)10例,未检出梗死病灶14例.CTP显示MCA供血区内脑血流灌注异常96例,其中58例有MCA供血区的大范围血流灌注减低.未检出血流灌注异常者37例. 结论 由于MCA狭窄的部位、程度和发病机制的不同以及侧支循环的建立,MCAOD可造成不同类型的脑梗死和血流灌注异常.     

General anesthesia or conscious sedation for endovascular therapy of basilar artery occlusions: ETIS registry results

Background and purposeAcute basilar artery occlusions (BAO) are associated with poor outcome despite modern endovascular treatment (EVT). The best anesthetic management during EVT is not known and may affect the procedure and clinical outcome. We compared the efficacy and safety of general anesthesia (GA) and conscious sedation/local anesthesia (CS/LA) in a large cohort of stroke patients with BAO treated with EVT in current clinical practice.MethodsData from the ongoing prospective multicenter Endovascular Treatment In Ischemic Stroke Registry of consecutive acute BAO patients who had EVT indication from January 1st, 2015, to December 31st, 2021, were retrospectively analyzed. Two groups were compared: patients treated with CS/LA versus GA (both types of anesthesia being performed in the angiosuite). Good outcome was defined as modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score 0–3 at 90 days.ResultsAmong the 524 included patients, 266 had GA and 246 had CS/LA (67 LA). Fifty-three patients finally did not undergo EVT: 15 patients (5.9%) in the GA group and 38 patients (16.1%) in the CS/LA group (P < 0.001). After matching, two groups of 129 patients each were retained for primary analysis. The two groups were well balanced in terms of baseline characteristics. After adjustment, CS/LA compared to GA was not associated with good outcome (OR = 0.90 [95%CI 0.46–1.77] P = 0.769) or mortality (OR = 0.75 [0.37–1.49] P = 0.420) or modified thrombolysis in cerebral infarction score 2b-3 (OR = 0.43 [0.16–1.16] P = 0.098). On mixed ordinal logistic regression, the modality of anesthesia was not associated with any significant change in the overall distribution of the 90-day mRS (adjusted OR = 1.08 [0.62–1.88] P = 0.767).ConclusionsSafety, outcome and quality of EVT under either CS/LA or GA for stroke due to acute BAO appear similar. Further randomized trials are warranted.     

DWI对MCA狭窄患者卒中亚型的诊断

目的:评价弥散加权MRI(Diffusion-weighted imaging,DWl)对MCA狭窄患者急性梗死的诊断价值。方法:经TCD／MRA诊断的症状性大脑中动脉粥样硬化性狭窄(以下简称MCA闭塞性病变:middle cerebral artery occlesive disease MCAOD)患者,分别于病后1周内行头颅水抑制MRI成像(Fluid-attenuated inversion recovery,FLAIR)及DWI检查,比较FLAIR、DWI所示梗死灶的类型和数量。结果:238例症状性MCAOD患者的FLAIR结果表明,单发腑梗死137例(57.6％),多发性脑梗死101例(42.4％)。其中皮层区域内梗死82例(34.5％),深部小梗死120例(50.4％),变界区梗死143例(60.1％)。而内交界区梗死、半卵园中心梗死以及伴随的皮层小梗死的发生率分别为52.9％、22.7％、13.0％,84例MCAOD患者的DWl结果表明,73.8％患者呈多发性脑梗死表现,皮层区域内梗死、交界区梗死、深部小梗死的发生率分别为46.4％、56％和44.0％,而皮层播散性小梗死(22.6％)、半卵园中心梗死(29.1％)的诊断率高于FLAIR结果。结论:DWI对于微小梗死以及多发梗死的诊断明显优于FIAIR成像,尤其对于皮层播散性小梗死灶以及半卵园中心梗死的诊断更敏感,利于卒中亚型的诊断及卒中机制的判断。     

急性基底动脉闭塞血管内治疗及临床预后预测因素研究进展

急性基底动脉闭塞是卒中患者死亡率最高的疾病之一,新一代血管内机械取栓装置能降低死亡率及改善临床预后。然而急性基底动脉闭塞经血管内机械取栓治疗患者临床结局受到多种因素的影响,包括患者年龄、治疗前卒中的严重程度、发病至血管开通治疗的时间、治疗前梗死体积的大小、血栓负荷及侧支循环状态等。本文就急性基底动脉闭塞血管内再通治疗进展及临床预后的影响因素做一综述。     

Future challenges of stroke treatment

Posterior circulation stroke accounts for approximately 20% of all ischaemic strokes. Acute basilar artery occlusion (BAO) is one of the most severe conditions, it is associated with death or major disability in more than three quarters of the cases, and its optimal management remains unestablished. Currently, the treatment is based primarily upon consensus, the clinical practice varies widely, and the actual benefit of mechanical thrombectomy has to be fully estimated. Although the recent years have profoundly revolutionized and improved the stroke care, many questions still remain unanswered and will represent the challenges of the next future.     

Stent-based mechanical thrombectomy in acute basilar artery occlusion

Stent-based mechanical thrombectomy was recently proposed as an effective alternative to other mechanical techniques to achieve recanalization of large-vessel embolic occlusions in the anterior circulation. To our knowledge, there are no reports of the use of this technique in acute basilar artery occlusion (ABAO). We present a patient with complete endovascular recanalization of ABAO using a stent-based thrombectomy technique. Advantages and limitations of this technique in the management of ABAO are discussed. The stent-thrombectomy technique is promising, and will need further evaluation in posterior circulation stroke.     

基底动脉弯曲度与年龄及基底动脉供血区脑梗死发生的关系

目的 初步研究成年人基底动脉的扭曲系数(TC)值,并评价后循环脑梗死TC值的变化.方法 前瞻性分析135名健康体检者(19～80岁,男90名,女45名)及42例后循环脑梗死患者(51～70岁,男28例,女14例)的磁共振血管成像上基底动脉的TC值,并探究脑梗死患者TC值与后循环脑梗死发生的相关性.结果 除31～50岁与51～70岁组外,其他不同年龄组间TC值比较,差异均有统计学意义;脑梗死患者的TC值(2.497±1.200)明显大于健康对照组(1.939±0.850,t=2.39,P=0.0195).结论 (1)基底动脉弯曲度与年龄呈正相关,可间接反映动脉硬化的程度;(2)后循环脑梗死患者的基底动脉弯曲度明显增大.     

Basilar artery thrombosis during sexual intercourse

An ischemic stroke during sexual intercourse is very rare. A basilar artery thrombosis during sexual intercourse has not been described previously. We report a young woman with a life-threatening basilar artery thrombosis during sexual intercourse, with a resulting locked-in syndrome. The positive high intensity transient signals (HITS) diagnosis showed a right-to-left shunt and is in line with paradoxic embolism. The molecular genetics revealed a homozygosity 4G/4G in the region PAI1, -675 (promoter polymorphism) as a risk factor for ischemic stroke. Sexual intercourse is a possible, albeit unusual stroke cause, especially in young people.     

Treatment of a Basilar Artery Occlusion with Intra-arterial Thrombolysis in a 3-year-old Girl

Introduction  Posterior circulation stroke attributable to basilar artery thrombosis is a rare entity and is difficult to diagnose in young children. Given the high rate of disability and mortality associated with the condition, endovascular revascularization may be a potential treatment strategy. Case  We describe a 3-year-old girl who presented with a decline in consciousness associated with tonic and clonic movements of her extremities thought to be secondary to a seizure. She was found to have a basilar artery occlusion 18 h from last known to be normal and was successfully treated with intra-arterial alteplase. At 6 month follow up the child has made substantial improvements and is in preschool with difficulties with ambulating longer distances. Conclusion  We report the youngest patient in the literature to date who was treated with intra-arterial thrombolysis for an acute basilar artery occlusion. An erratum to this article can be found at     

Solitaire AB支架取栓术治疗急性基底动脉闭塞8例报告

目的探讨Solitaire AB型支架用于急性基底动脉闭塞动脉内取栓的疗效及安全性。方法回顾性分析我院2014年12月~2015年3月8例采用Solitaire AB型支架行急性基底动脉闭塞取栓术患者的临床资料。比较患者治疗前后美国国立卫生研究院卒中量表(NIHSS)评分及术后90 d mRs评分,评估患者预后状况。结果患者入院时NIHSS评分平均(20±3.3)分;6例患者成功再通,术后NIHSS评分改善≥14分,90 d随访临床结局优良;2例部分再通,术后发生出血转化且死亡。结论对急性基底动脉栓塞的患者,使用Solitaire AB型支架取栓术是相对安全、有效的。     

Basilar artery dissection: A rare complication of posterior fossa epidermoid cyst resection,and evaluation of the possible effects of cerebrospinal fluid drainage on disease progression

We report a rare case of a 45-year-old female with an unruptured basilar artery dissecting aneurysm presenting with locked-in syndrome due to brainstem ischemia eleven months following resection of a giant cerebellopontine angle epidermoid cyst and three months after insertion of ventriculo peritoneal shunt due to hydrocephalus. The etiology of basilar artery dissection and the effect of hydrocephalus and ventricular cerebrospinal fluid drainage on disease progression in this patient are unclear. Our report suggests a possible effect of hydrocephalus and ventricular cerebrospinal fluid drainage on intracranial arterial dissection progression.