Transient Cerebral Vasospasm After Carotid Artery Stenting: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Background: Cerebral embolism after carotid artery stenting (CAS) is a well-known complication, but cerebral ischemia owing to cerebral vasospasm after CAS is rare and has seldom been reported. We describe a patient with transient ischemic complications owing to reversible cerebral vasospasm of the middle cerebral artery after CAS.

Case Description: A 74-year-old man presented with right hemiparesis caused by acutely scattered brain infarction in the left cerebral hemisphere.

Plasma thrombin-cleaved osteopontin elevation after carotid artery stenting in symptomatic ischemic stroke patients.

Atherothrombosis is the primary pathophysiology that underlies ischemic cerebral infarction. Osteopontin (OPN) is produced in atherosclerotic lesions and is cleaved by activated thrombin. We hypothesized that the rupture or damage of an unstable atherosclerotic plaque increases plasma levels of thrombin-cleaved OPN (trOPN).

Probable blood-brain barrier disruption after carotid artery stenting.

A 74-year-old man presented with prolonged reversible neurological deficits caused by internal carotid artery stenosis. He underwent carotid artery stenting (CAS) and developed persistent neurological deficits shortly following the intervention. Delayed gadolinium enhancement of the cerebrospinal fluid space on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery images indicated probable blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption.

[Experience of cerebral angiography using gadolinium for renal insufficiency].

Angiography by means of iodinated contrast material, before endovascular or surgical treatment, may result in serious complications in patients with renal insufficiency or previous anaphylactoid reaction to iodine. Alternative techniques, such as magnetic resonance angiography or carbon dioxide angiography, have their own limitations. We report effectiveness and safety of cerebral angiography using gadolinium for a patient with right vertebral artery and basilar artery occlusion and renal insufficiency.

Severe ocular and orbital toxicity after intracarotid injection of carboplatin for recurrent glioblastomas.

Background: Glioblastoma is a malignant tumor that occurs in the cerebrum during adulthood. With current treatment regimens including combined surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, the average life expectancy of the patients is limited to approximately 1 year. Therefore, patients with glioblastoma sometimes have intracarotid injection of carcinostatics added to the treatment regimen.

Intracranial meningeal melanocytoma.

A 59-year-old man presented with a rare intracranial meningeal melanocytoma in the left cerebellopontine angle. The patient underwent partial surgical excision and radiosurgery for successful control of the tumor. Meningeal melanocytoma is an essentially benign melanotic tumor, derived from the melanocytes of the leptomeninges, and may occur anywhere in the cranial and spinal meninges.

Stent-assisted angioplasty for intracranial atherosclerosis.

We report on two patients with intracranial atherosclerosis of the carotid artery or vertebral artery treated with stent-assisted angioplasty. Both patients have severe intracranial atherosclerosis (>70%) with refractory symptoms despite optimal medical treatment. In both patients, a coronary balloon-expandable stent was successfully placed using a protective balloon technique without procedural complications.