Publications by authors named "Firas Al Ali"

De novo aortic regurgitation (AR) presents a great challenge following left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation and requires valve replacement in some cases. Patients with LVAD are frequently those who underwent multiple previous sternotomies or suffer from multiple comorbidities. Thus, they are at high surgical risk for further sternotomy.

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Background And Purpose: The capillary index score (CIS) is based on the hypothesis that areas lacking capillary blush on pretreatment cerebral digital subtraction angiograms correspond to nonviable cerebral tissue.

Methods: Pretreatment digital subtraction angiograms and post-treatment noncontrast enhanced computed tomographic scans from the MR CLEAN (Multicenter Randomized Clinical Trial of Endovascular Treatment for Acute Ischemic Stroke in the Netherlands) trial were evaluated for areas lacking capillary blush and with tissue hypodensity, respectively. Because the superior and middle zones of the CIS correspond to the 7 cerebral cortex regions of the Alberta Stroke Program Early CT (ASPECT) score, capillary blush was scored in these 2 zones (0-2), called sub-CIS, and compared with the ASPECT score in these 7 regions (0-7), called hypodensity score.

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Due to recent results from clinical intra-arterial treatment for acute ischemic stroke (IAT-AIS) trials such as the interventional management of stroke III, IAT-AIS and the merit of revascularization have been contested. Even though intra-arterial treatment (IAT) has been shown to improve revascularization rates, a corresponding increase in good outcomes has only recently been noted. Even though a significant percentage of patients achieve good revascularization in a timely manner, results do not translate into good clinical outcomes (GCOs).

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The current strategy for intra-arterial treatment (IAT) of acute ischemic stroke focuses on minimizing time from ictus to revascularization and maximizing revascularization. Employing this strategy has yet to lead to improved rates of successful outcomes. However, the collateral blood supply likely plays a significant role in maintaining viable brain tissue during ischemia.

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Background And Purpose: Until recently, acute ischemic stroke (AIS) trials have failed to show a benefit of endovascular therapy compared with standard therapy, leading some authors to recommend decreasing the time from ictus to revascularization to improve outcomes. We hypothesize that improving patient selection using the capillary index score (CIS) may also be a useful strategy.

Methods: CIS was calculated, blinded to outcome, from pretreatment diagnostic cerebral angiograms for 78 subjects in the Interventional Management of Stroke III database with internal carotid artery and middle cerebral artery trunk occlusion.

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We review the methods and results of Stenting and Aggressive Medical Management for Preventing Recurrent Stroke (SAMMPRIS) and provide a critical review of its strengths and limitations. In SAMMPRIS, the aggressive medical treatment arm (AMT arm) did substantially better than the Wingspan Stenting plus aggressive medical management arm (WS+ arm). Complications in the first 30 days post intervention led to the disparity between treatment arms.

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Background And Purpose: The Capillary Index Score (CIS) is a simple angiography-based scale for assessing viable tissue in the ischemic territory. We retrospectively applied it to Interventional Management of Stroke (IMS) trials I and II to evaluate the predictive value for good outcomes.

Methods: CIS was calculated from pretreatment diagnostic cerebral angiograms blinded to outcome.

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Background And Purpose: Endovascular strategies provide unique opportunity to correlate angiographic measures of collateral circulation at the time of endovascular therapy. We conducted systematic analyses of collaterals at conventional angiography on recanalization, reperfusion, and clinical outcomes in the endovascular treatment arm of the Interventional Management of Stroke (IMS) III trial.

Methods: Prospective evaluation of angiographic collaterals was conducted via central review of subjects treated with endovascular therapy in IMS III (n=331).

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Background And Purpose: The pathogenesis of spontaneous cervical artery dissections (sCAD) and its best medical treatment are debated. This may be due to a lack of clear classification of sCAD. We propose the new Borgess classification of sCAD, based on the presence or absence of intimal tear as depicted on imaging studies and effect on blood flow.

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Background: Despite increased recanalization rates in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke, the percentage of patients with a good clinical outcome of all those treated has not risen above 50%. This 50% barrier may be broken by improving the criteria for treatment selection. This study investigated the addition of the capillary index score (CIS), a new index for assessing remaining viable tissue in the ischemic area, to the existing criteria.

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Background And Purpose: Although atherosclerotic plaque in the carotid and coronary arteries is accepted as a cause of ischemia, vertebral artery ostium (VAO) atherosclerotic plaque is not widely recognized as a source of ischemic stroke. We seek to demonstrate its implication in some posterior circulation ischemia.

Methods: This is a nonrandomized, prospective, single-center registry on consecutive patients presenting with posterior circulation ischemia who underwent VAO stenting for significant atherosclerotic stenosis.

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Background And Purpose: The use of bare metal stents to treat symptomatic intracranial stenosis may be associated with significant restenosis rates. The advent of drug-eluting stents (DESs) in the coronary circulation has resulted in a reduction of restenosis rates. We report our technical success rate and short-term restenosis rates after stenting with DESs in the intracranial and extracranial circulation.

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Background And Purpose: Medical treatment of symptomatic intracranial stenosis carries a high risk of stroke. This study was done to evaluate the clinical and angiographic outcomes after intracranial angioplasty for this disease.

Methods: A total of 120 patients with 124 intracranial stenoses were treated by primary angioplasty.

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We report on a patient with oligodendroglioma metastatic to bone, presenting with pancytopenia and fever 10 years after initial tumor resection. Our review of the literature showed a total of 30 reported extraneural metastases, with only 19 of these being similar cases of bone metastases. These bony lesions have increased signal intensity in T2-weighted and low signal intensity on T1-weighted images, with intense homogeneous enhancement.

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Background And Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy and safety of the 6F Closer S device (Perclose; Redwood City, CA) versus manual compression to close arteriotomy sites after neurointerventional procedures in both virgin vessels and those previously treated with the device.

Methods: This single-center, multiple-operator, controlled, prospective study included 475 procedures (337 patients) with the device and 79 procedures (79 patients) with manual compression. A substantial number of patients receiving anticoagulation and/or antiplatelet medications were included.

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