Impact of Thrombus Length on Outcomes After Intra-Arterial Aspiration Thrombectomy in the THERAPY Trial.

Background And Purpose: Increasing thrombus length (TL) impedes recanalization after intravenous (IV) thrombolysis. We sought to determine whether the clinical benefit of aspiration thrombectomy relative to IV r-tPA (recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator) may be greater at longer TL.

Methods: THERAPY was a randomized trial of aspiration thrombectomy plus IV r-tPA versus IV r-tPA alone in large-vessel stroke patients with prospective TL measurement ≥8 mm.

Safety and performance of the Penumbra Liberty stent system in a rabbit aneurysm model.

Background: Endovascular treatment of wide necked and large/giant intracranial aneurysms is challenging. The goal of this study was to evaluate the Liberty stent system in the rabbit elastase aneurysm model for 30, 90, and 180 days.

Methods: The Altes elastase model was used to create aneurysms in the right common carotid artery in New Zealand White rabbits.

Impact of pretreatment noncontrast CT Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score on clinical outcome after intra-arterial stroke therapy.

Background And Purpose: The efficacy of intra-arterial treatment remains uncertain. Because most centers performing IAT use noncontrast CT (NCCT) imaging, it is critical to understand the impact of NCCT findings on treatment outcomes. This study aimed to compare functional independence and safety among patients undergoing intra-arterial treatment stratified by the extent of ischemic change on pretreatment NCCT.

Clot length distribution and predictors in anterior circulation stroke: implications for intra-arterial therapy.

Background And Purpose: Thin-section noncontrast computed tomography images can be used to measure hyperdense clot length in acute ischemic stroke. Clots≥8 mm have a very low probability of intravenous tissue-type plasminogen activator recanalization and hence may benefit from a bridging intra-arterial approach. To understand the prevalence of such clots, we sought to determine the distribution and predictors of clot lengths in consecutive anterior circulation proximal artery occlusions.

A novel, self-expanding, nitinol stent in medically refractory intracranial atherosclerotic stenoses: the Wingspan study.

Background And Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the safety and performance of the Wingspan stent system and Gateway percutaneous transluminal angioplasty balloon catheter in the treatment of high-grade, intracranial atherosclerotic lesions in patients who had failed medical therapy.

Methods: In this prospective, multicenter, single-arm study, medically refractory patients with a modified Rankin score < or =3 and recurrent symptoms attributable to angiographically demonstrated intracranial stenosis > or =50% in a vessel 2.5 to 4.