Best Practice Recommendations for Stroke Vascular Imaging During Iodinated Contrast Shortage.

GE Healthcare announced on April 19, 2022, that their main factory and distributor of iodinated contrast had experienced a temporary shutdown because of COVID-19 outbreak in Shanghai, China. This, along with other supply chain issues, led to a worldwide shortage of iodinated contrast agents, Omnipaque and Visipaque. Our Comprehensive Stroke Center was confronted with the cascading effect of this iodinated contrast material shortage.

Posterior circulation perforator aneurysms: a proposed management algorithm.

Introduction: Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) from posterior circulation perforator aneurysms (PCPAs) is rare and its natural history is unknown. Diagnosis may be difficult, acute management is poorly defined, and long-term recurrent SAH rates and clinical outcome data are lacking.

Methods: We searched our institution's records for cases of PCPA rupture and analyzed patient demographics, Hunt and Hess (HH) grades, diagnostic imaging, management, and clinical outcomes.

Preoperative Embolization of Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformations with Silk Suture and Particles: Technical Considerations and Outcomes.

Objective: Embolization of cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) is commonly performed prior to surgical resection in order to reduce intraoperative bleeding and improve the safety of resection. Although most modern embolization procedures utilize permanent embolic agents, silk suture and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) particles may offer unique advantages for preoperative devascularization. The aims of this retrospective cohort study are to describe the technical considerations and determine the outcomes for preoperative silk suture and PVA particle embolization (SPE) of AVMs.

Endovascular treatment of ophthalmic artery aneurysms: ophthalmic artery patency following flow diversion versus coil embolization.

Background And Purpose: The Pipeline Embolization Device (PED) has been shown to effectively treat complex internal carotid artery aneurysms while maintaining patency of covered side branches. The purpose of this retrospective matched cohort study is to evaluate the effect of flow diversion on the patency of the ophthalmic artery when treating ophthalmic artery aneurysms.

Methods: A retrospective review of our prospectively collected institutional database identified 19 ophthalmic artery aneurysms treated with a PED.

Embolization of cerebral arteriovenous malformations with silk suture particles prior to stereotactic radiosurgery.

We aimed to determine the long term durability of silk suture and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) particle embolization (SPE) of arteriovenous malformations (AVM), and to evaluate the outcomes following multimodality management of AVM with combined SPE and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). A general supposition among neurointerventionalists is that embolization of cerebral AVM with silk sutures and PVA particles does not yield a durable occlusion. We performed a retrospective review of all AVM patients treated at our institution with combined SPE and SRS.

Randomized controlled trial of vertebroplasty versus kyphoplasty in the treatment of vertebral compression fractures.

Background: We present the results of a randomized controlled trial evaluating the efficacy of vertebroplasty versus kyphoplasty in treating vertebral body compression fractures.

Methods: Patients with vertebral body compression fractures were randomly assigned to treatment with kyphoplasty or vertebroplasty. Primary endpoints were pain (0-10 scale) and disability assessed using the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ).

Outcomes of vertebroplasty compared with kyphoplasty: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background And Purpose: Many studies demonstrate that both kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty are superior to conservative therapy in the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral body compression fractures. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies comparing the outcomes of vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty, which included prospective non-randomized, retrospective comparative, and randomized studies.

Materials And Methods: We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Web of Science databases for studies of kyphoplasty versus vertebroplasty from 1 January 1990 to 30 November 2014 and compared the following outcomes: procedure characteristics, pain and disability improvement, complications and anatomic outcomes.

Modification of a Braided Support Catheter into a Rapid Exchange System for Navigation of a Distal Protection Device through Significant Vascular Tortuosity.

Cerebral embolic protection devices (EPD) reduce the rate of periprocedural thromboembolic complications and are currently used in all carotid artery stenting (CAS) procedures. However, tortuous vascular anatomy of the internal carotid artery (ICA) may prevent navigation of distal EPDs, thereby leading to inadequate cerebral protection. We present a case in which significant tortuosity of the ICA distal to the stenotic lesion precluded navigation of currently available distal EPDs.

A method for complete angiographic obliteration of a brain arteriovenous malformation in a single session through a single pedicle.

Historically, the endovascular treatment of arteriovenous malformations (AVM) has largely been relegated to an adjunctive role to open surgical and radiosurgical methods. In this article, we describe a novel endovascular approach to the treatment of brain AVM using Onyx (ev3 Endovascular, Plymouth, MN, USA), which may allow for a complete angiographic obliteration in a single treatment session. Twelve patients underwent Onyx embolization of an AVM using a novel "reverse plug and push" technique in which a plug is formed around the treatment catheter prior to injecting Onyx into the AVM.

Single-center experience with a dual microcatheter technique for the endovascular treatment of wide-necked aneurysms.

Object: The endovascular treatment of wide-necked aneurysms can be technically challenging due to distal coil migration or impingement of the parent vessel. In this paper, the authors illustrate an alternative method for the treatment of wide-necked intracranial aneurysms using a dual microcatheter technique.

Methods: The authors' first 100 consecutive patients who underwent coil embolization of a wide-necked aneurysm using a dual microcatheter technique are reported.

Balloon anchor technique for pipeline embolization device deployment across the neck of a giant intracranial aneurysm.

Treatment of giant intracranial aneurysms, via either surgical or endovascular approaches, is associated with a high level of technical difficulty as well as a high rate of treatment-related morbidity and mortality. Flow-diverting stents, such as the Pipeline embolization device (PED), have drastically altered the therapeutic strategies for the treatment of giant aneurysms. Gaining endovascular access using a microcatheter to the portion of the parent artery distal to the aneurysm neck is requisite for safe and effective stent deployment.

DynaCT imaging for intraprocedural evaluation of flow-diverting stent apposition during endovascular treatment of intracranial aneurysms.

The treatment of large, complex intracranial aneurysms is being increasingly performed using flow-diverting stents (FDS) such as the Pipeline Embolization Device (PED; ev3, Irvine, CA, USA). Malapposition of a FDS to the parent artery wall decreases the likelihood of aneurysm obliteration and increases the risk of both immediate and delayed complications. DynaCT scanning (Siemens Medical Solutions, Erlangen, Germany) is a novel imaging modality which uses a flat plane detector to generate CT images using the same C-arm employed for digital subtraction angiography.

Stenting of symptomatic intracranial stenosis using balloon mounted coronary stents: a single center experience.

Objective: Intracranial atherosclerotic disease is the cause of up to 10% of ischemic strokes and transient ischemic attacks. Intracranial stenting with off-label balloon mounted coronary stents (BMCS) may be a viable alternative for patients with symptomatic intracranial stenosis who fail best medical therapy.

Design: Between December 2005 and June 2012, 42 symptomatic intracranial stenoses were treated with a BMCS after failing medical management.

Endovascular treatment of recurrent intracranial aneurysms following previous microsurgical clipping with the Pipeline Embolization Device.

The treatment of intracranial aneurysms with microsurgical clipping is associated with a very low rate of recurrence. However, in cases of aneurysm recurrence after previous clipping, microsurgical dissection due to adhesions and fibrosis may be challenging, and it may be difficult to safely occlude the recurrent lesion without the risk of significant morbidity. Flow-diverting stents have drastically changed the landscape of endovascular neurosurgery.

Direct transcranial puncture for Onyx embolization of a cerebellar hemangioblastoma.

Intracranial hemangioblastomas are benign but hypervascular tumors, most commonly located in the cerebellum, which are difficult to resect without significant operative blood loss. While preoperative embolization may decrease the amount of operative bleeding, the vascular supply of cerebellar hemangioblastomas frequently precludes safe embolization by an endovascular route due to the risk of thromboembolic vertebrobasilar infarction. Direct puncture embolization overcomes many of the limitations of endovascular embolization but its safety and feasibility for intracranial tumors is unknown.

Persistent trigeminal artery: in situ thrombosis and associated perforating vessel infarction.

We report a patient with progressive brainstem infarction despite medical therapy. The patient was transferred to our institution for potential angioplasty of basilar stenosis. Imaging review demonstrated persistent trigeminal artery in situ thrombosis and associated perforating vessel infarction.

Treatment of type II endoleak using Onyx with long-term imaging follow-up.

Purpose: The purpose of our study is to report our experience with the use of an ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (Onyx) in an off-label fashion for the treatment of type II endoleak after endovascular repair of the thoracic (TEVAR) and abdominal (EVAR) aorta.

Methods: A retrospective review of patients with type I and/or II endoleak treated with Onyx was performed. Data regarding the technical, clinical, and imaging outcomes were collected.

Perforator aneurysms of the posterior circulation: case series and review of the literature.

Introduction: Posterior circulation perforator artery aneurysms are sparsely reported in the literature. The natural history of these rare lesions remains unclear and their diagnosis and management are not well-defined.

Methods: We reviewed our institution's medical records and performed a comprehensive literature search for cases of posterior circulation perforator aneurysms.

Radiation-induced imaging changes following Gamma Knife surgery for cerebral arteriovenous malformations.

Object: The objective of this study was to evaluate the incidence, severity, clinical manifestations, and risk factors of radiation-induced imaging changes (RIICs) following Gamma Knife surgery (GKS) for cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs).

Methods: A total of 1426 GKS procedures performed for AVMs with imaging follow-up available were analyzed. Radiation-induced imaging changes were defined as newly developed increased T2 signal surrounding the treated AVM nidi.

Symptomatic Wingspan stent stenosis and occlusion: stent-in-stent rescue.

The use of the Wingspan stent in severe intracranial stenosis is associated with a relatively high in-stent re-stenosis rate. Reported management strategies for re-stenosis have included angioplasty alone or angioplasty with placement of a second Wingspan stent. A case is presented in which thrombosis within a Wingspan stent was treated with a balloon expandable cobalt-chromium stent within the Wingspan stent.

Combined surgical/endovascular treatment of a complex dural arteriovenous fistula in 21-month-old. Technical note.

The treatment of intracranial dural arteriovenous fistulas (AVF) has progressed considerably over the past few decades. With the introduction of new embolic materials and refinement of endovascular techniques, lesions that in the past may have required extensive surgery, or were considered untreatable, have increasingly become curable. Despite improvements in technology, not every condition is amenable to an endovascular treatment, including those patients with preexisting vascular abnormalities that preclude an endovascular approach.

Endovascular treatment of a fusiform basilar artery aneurysm using multiple "in-stent stents". Technical note.

Fusiform aneurysms of the basilar artery present difficult challenges for the treating physician. On one hand, these aneurysms are difficult and dangerous to treat. On the other, the relatively high rupture rate, risk of thromboemboli, and the frequent presence of mass effect on the brainstem often demand treatment rather than observation.

Introduction: Endovascular approaches to cerebral ischemia.

The treatment of stroke has rapidly evolved over the past decade, particularly as data concerning the natural history have emerged and endovascular treatment options have matured. Therapies for acute stroke have expanded as intraarterial thrombolysis and mechanical clot retrieval have been validated. Furthermore, angioplasty and stenting of intra- and extracranial vessels have evolved with the development of new devices coupled with increasing operator experience.

In vitro assessment of aortic stent-graft integrity following exposure to Onyx liquid embolic agent.

Purpose: Endovascular stent-grafts are increasingly being used for treatment of abdominal and thoracic aortic aneurysms. Postprocedural complications include development of endoleaks. Recently, an embolic agent known as Onyx has been employed to treat type II endoleaks.