应用Trevo ProVue支架取栓治疗前循环脑动脉急性闭塞的初步经验

目的探讨应用Trevo ProVue支架对前循环脑动脉急性闭塞进行支架取栓治疗的安全性及有效性。方法回顾本中心13例采用Trevo ProVue支架取栓治疗前循环脑动脉急性闭塞患者的临床资料。应用改良脑梗死溶栓(modified thrombolysis in cerebral infarction,mTICI)分级评估闭塞血管再通情况,比较患者术前及术后24 h美国国立卫生研究院卒中量表(National Institute of Health stroke scale,NIHSS)评分。并于术后90 d进行临床随访,采用改良Rankin量表(modified Rankin scale,mRS)评分评估患者独立生活情况。结果 13例患者中,术后即刻8例获得mTICI分级2b～3级再通,4例mTICI分级2a级再通,1例血管无法开通mTICI分级0级。患者入院时NIHSS评分15.0(9.5～21.0)分,术后24 h NIHSS评分7.0(5.5～16.0)分,比较差异具有统计学意义(t=2.38,P=0.035)。90 d临床随访,mRS评分0～2分6例(46.15%),3分2例,4分2例,5分1例,6分(死亡)2例。结论应用Trevo ProVue支架取栓治疗前循环脑动脉急性闭塞是安全、有效的。     

Diagnosis and Management of Acute Ischemic Stroke

Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is among the leading causes of death and long-term disability. Intravenous tissue plasminogen activator has been the mainstay of acute therapy. Recently, several prospective randomized trials documented the value of endovascular revascularization in selected patients with large-vessel occlusion within the anterior circulation. This finding has led to a paradigm shift in the management of AIS, including wide adoption of noninvasive neuroimaging to assess vessel patency and tissue viability, with the supplemental and independent use of intravenous tissue plasminogen activator to improve clinical outcomes. In this article, we review the landmark studies on management of AIS and the current position on the diagnosis and management of AIS. The review also highlights the importance of early stabilization and prompt initiation of therapeutic interventions before, during, and after the diagnosis of AIS within and outside of the hospital.     

Retrievable stent thrombectomy in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke: Analysis of a revolutionizing treatment technique

Acute ischemic stroke resulting from intracranial vessel occlusion is associated with high morbidity and mortality. The mainstays of therapy are fibrinolytics and mechanical thrombectomy in properly selected patients. A new Food and Drug Administration-approved technology to perform thrombectomy, retrievable stenting, may provide superior revascularization rates and improved patient outcomes. We analyzed the cumulative human experience reported for the Trevo Pro Retrieval System (Stryker, Kalamazoo, MI, USA) and the Solitaire FR Revascularization Device (ev3, Irvine, CA, USA) as the definitive treatment for acute ischemic stroke. A literature search was undertaken to identify studies using the retrievable stents published up to September 2012. Nineteen studies identified a total of 576 patients treated with either the Trevo (n = 221) or Solitaire (n = 355) devices. Pooled data analysis identified median baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale scores of 18.5 ± 0.289 (standard error of the mean) and 17.9 ± 0.610, and time to recanalization of 53.9 ± 23.6 minutes and 59.0 ± 8.0 minutes for the Trevo and Solitaire groups, respectively. Recanalization was variably defined by individual studies, most commonly achieving at least a thrombolysis in cerebral infarction score of 2a–3 or a thrombolysis in myocardial infarction score of 2–3. Revascularization (83%, 82%), mortality (31%, 14%), hemorrhage (8%, 6%), device complications (5%, 6%), and good patient outcomes (51%, 47%) were found with the Trevo and Solitaire devices, respectively. Preliminary analysis reveals excellent clinical outcomes for retrievable stent technology. This may be attributable to both high rates of revascularization with a relatively short time to perfusion restoration.     

Alternative technique for clot retrieval: The “tip of the iceberg” technique

We present a variation of the classical technique of stent retriever thrombectomy which we found helpful in two patients presenting with acute stroke. CT angiography in both patients demonstrated thrombus within a middle cerebral artery M2 branch. In both cases the occluded artery was not visualized on DSA and only the proximal tip of the clot could be seen as a filling defect “hanging” into the parent artery reminiscent of a “tip of an iceberg”. Rather than selectively catheterizing the occluded branch we placed the stent retriever in the patent parent artery crossing only the tip of the clot. In both cases one pass of the stent retriever was sufficient to retrieve the whole clot by its tip and reopen the occluded branch. We suggest trying this technique whenever the clot is seated in the proximal part of a secondary branch such as an M2 segment of middle cerebral artery. This “tip of the iceberg” technique prevents the need to selectively catheterize the occluded branch which, if difficult, can prolong procedural and ischemic time.