YouRong S Su1, Muhammad S Ali2, Bryan A Pukenas3, Christopher G Favilla4, Mario Zanaty2, David M Hasan2, David K Kung5. 1. Department of Neurosurgery, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. 2. Department of Neurosurgery, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa, USA. 3. Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. 4. Department of Neurology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. 5. Department of Neurosurgery, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Electronic address: david.kung@pennmedicine.upenn.edu.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Endovascular procedures such as intraarterial (IA) vasodilator injection and balloon angioplasty are used to treat medically refractory cerebral vasospasm. The effects of IA therapy may be short lived and thus require multiple treatments. Balloon angioplasty also has limitations including transient occlusion of the spastic blood vessel, possible endothelial injury, and limited access to proximal vessels. We aim to demonstrate a novel technique using a stent retriever for the management of medically refractory vasospasm, especially in distal vessels. Compared with balloon angioplasty, stent retrievers provide a passive, self-limiting expansion of blood vessels. Other benefits over balloon angioplasty include 1) ability to simultaneously inject IA vasodilators, 2) limited contact and damage to vessel wall, 3) nonocclusive expansion, and 4) technical ease. METHODS: Fourteen blood vessels from 6 patients with symptomatic vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage were identified. We injected 5 mg of IA vasodilator medication into the vasospastic segments without radiographic improvement in vessel diameter and blood flow. The stent retriever was deployed for 2-5 minutes in each vasospastic segment. RESULTS: Distal anterior and posterior circulation segments were easily accessible with the stent retriever system. It resulted in improved vessel diameter and blood flow with subsequent improvement in neurologic examination. All patients demonstrated radiographic resolution of vasospasm. No procedural-related complications were noted. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate the safety and efficacy of a novel technique for the treatment of medically refractory cerebral vasospasm using stent retriever angioplasty in distal vessels. Stent angioplasty can be used as an additional tool in the management of subarachnoid hemorrhage-induced cerebral vasospasm.
BACKGROUND: Endovascular procedures such as intraarterial (IA) vasodilator injection and balloon angioplasty are used to treat medically refractory cerebral vasospasm. The effects of IA therapy may be short lived and thus require multiple treatments. Balloon angioplasty also has limitations including transient occlusion of the spastic blood vessel, possible endothelial injury, and limited access to proximal vessels. We aim to demonstrate a novel technique using a stent retriever for the management of medically refractory vasospasm, especially in distal vessels. Compared with balloon angioplasty, stent retrievers provide a passive, self-limiting expansion of blood vessels. Other benefits over balloon angioplasty include 1) ability to simultaneously inject IA vasodilators, 2) limited contact and damage to vessel wall, 3) nonocclusive expansion, and 4) technical ease. METHODS: Fourteen blood vessels from 6 patients with symptomatic vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage were identified. We injected 5 mg of IA vasodilator medication into the vasospastic segments without radiographic improvement in vessel diameter and blood flow. The stent retriever was deployed for 2-5 minutes in each vasospastic segment. RESULTS: Distal anterior and posterior circulation segments were easily accessible with the stent retriever system. It resulted in improved vessel diameter and blood flow with subsequent improvement in neurologic examination. All patients demonstrated radiographic resolution of vasospasm. No procedural-related complications were noted. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate the safety and efficacy of a novel technique for the treatment of medically refractory cerebral vasospasm using stent retriever angioplasty in distal vessels. Stent angioplasty can be used as an additional tool in the management of subarachnoid hemorrhage-induced cerebral vasospasm.
Authors: Ali Khanafer; Pervinder Bhogal; Victoria Hellstern; Christoph Harmening; Hansjörg Bäzner; Oliver Ganslandt; Hans Henkes Journal: J Clin Med Date: 2022-08-09 Impact factor: 4.964