Faculty Opinions recommendation of Clinical outcomes in middle cerebral artery trunk occlusions versus secondary division occlusions after mechanical thrombectomy: pooled analysis of the Mechanical Embolus Removal in Cerebral Ischemia (MERCI) and Multi MERCI trials.

Author(s):  
Megan Leary ◽  
Angela Adams
2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 242-253 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hisham Salahuddin ◽  
Aixa Espinosa ◽  
Mark Buehler ◽  
Sadik A. Khuder ◽  
Abdur R. Khan ◽  
...  

Background: Middle cerebral artery division (M2) occlusion was significantly underrepresented in recent mechanical thrombectomy (MT) randomized controlled trials, and the approach to this disease remains heterogeneous. Objective: To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of outcomes at 90 days among patients undergoing MT for M2 middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusions. Methods: Five clinical databases were searched from inception through September 2016. Observational studies reporting 90-day modified Rankin Scale scores for patients undergoing MT for M2 MCA occlusions with an M1 MCA control group were selected. The primary outcome of interest was good clinical outcome 90 days after MT of an M1 or M2 MCA occlusion. Secondary outcomes of interest included mortality and excellent clinical outcome, recanalization rates, significant intracerebral hemorrhage, and procedural complications. Results: A total of 323 publications were identified, and 237 potentially relevant articles were screened. Six studies were included in the analysis (M1 = 1,203, M2 = 258; total n = 1,461). We found no significant differences in good clinical outcomes (1.10 [95% CI, 0.83-1.44]), excellent clinical outcomes (1.07 [0.65-1.79]), mortality at 3 months (0.85 [0.58-1.24]), recanalization rates (1.06 [0.32-3.48]), and significant intracranial hemorrhage (1.19 [0.61-2.30]). Conclusions: MT of M2 MCA occlusions is as safe as that of main trunk MCA occlusions, and comparable in terms of clinical outcomes and hemorrhagic complications. Randomized clinical trials are needed to assess the impact of MT in patients with M2 occlusions, given that M1 MCA occlusions have different natural histories than M2 occlusions.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 54-58
Author(s):  
Matthew J. Kercher ◽  
Dinesh Ramanathan ◽  
Brian C. Dahlin ◽  
Alan H. Yee ◽  
Jared W. Clouse ◽  
...  

Recurrent sequential mechanical thrombectomy for cryptogenic large vessel occlusion (LVO) can lead to excellent clinical outcome. A 68-year-old right-handed male presented with an acute proximal right middle cerebral artery (MCA) ischemic syndrome and underwent successful revascularization by mechanical thrombectomy with normal functional recovery. He was treated with dual antiplatelet therapy for 2 months following discharge, however later discontinued clopidogrel due to side effects. He then developed a recurrent, contralateral MCA occlusion 16 months later and once again received emergent endovascular reperfusion therapy with excellent neurological outcome. He has remained on off-label empiric oral anticoagulation since and has not had recurrent stroke nor evidence of cerebral ischemia. Favorable clinical outcomes can be achieved in patients despite recurrent LVO who underwent emergent mechanical thrombectomy. Optimal antithrombotic secondary stroke prevention strategies following embolic stroke of unknown source remains uncertain as recent evidence does not support rivaroxaban or dabigatran over aspirin. The benefit of apixaban over aspirin for the prevention of recurrent cerebral ischemia is under current investigation.


2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 83-89
Author(s):  
Ihtesham A. Qureshi ◽  
Alberto Maud ◽  
Salvador Cruz-Flores ◽  
Gustavo J. Rodriguez

Background and Purpose: In this article, we present our experience with the recanalization of the middle cerebral artery (MCA), we hypothesize that there are higher rates of recanalization with fewer stent retriever passes and better clinical outcomes in patients with division MCA occlusions. A more complex anatomy at the bifurcation may prevent a faster recanalization in main trunk MCA occlusions. Methods: We retrospectively identified consecutive patients admitted with MCA occlusions who underwent mechanical thrombectomy using stent retrievers. We categorized patients into division MCA and main trunk MCA occlusions based on angiography. Variables were compared between the groups. We further analyzed patients with trunk MCA occlusions to identify reasons for delays in recanalization. Results: There were 32 MCA occlusions that underwent mechanical thrombectomy and eligible for the analysis during the study period. Of those, 11 were main trunk MCA occlusions. Univariate analysis disclosed a trend toward a lower GP-to-recanalization time (p = 0.05) and a lower number of passes required for recanalization in division MCA occlusions. However, there was a significantly better outcome in patients with division MCA occlusion after multivariate analysis. Analyzing main trunk MCA occlusion data, we found that the need for more than one pass to achieve recanalization led to a trend toward a longer GP-to-recanalization time and a worse outcome. When the stent was placed in the dominant division, the chances of recanalization were significantly higher. Conclusions: Division MCA occlusions have higher recanalization rates with fewer stent retriever passes and better clinical outcomes than main trunk MCA occlusions, likely due to a more favorable anatomy. Measures like placing the stent retriever in the dominant division may decrease recanalization times and improve clinical outcomes in main trunk MCA occlusions.


2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 330-334 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hisham Salahuddin ◽  
Guru Ramaiah ◽  
Diana E Slawski ◽  
Julie Shawver ◽  
Mark Buehler ◽  
...  

BackgroundOver half of patients who receive intravenous tissue plasminogen activator for middle cerebral artery division (MCA-M2) occlusion do not recanalize, leaving a large percentage of patients who may need mechanical thrombectomy (MT). However, the outcomes of MT for M2 occlusion have not been well characterized.ObjectiveTo determine if MT of M2 occlusion is as safe and efficacious as current standard-of-care MT for M1 occlusions.MethodsWith institutional review board approval, we retrospectively reviewed records of 212 patients undergoing MT for isolated MCA M1 or M2 occlusions during a 36-month period (Sept 2013 to Sept 2016) at two centres. Treatment variables, clinical outcomes, and complications in each group were recorded.ResultsThere were 153 M1 MCA occlusions and 59 M2 MCA occlusions. No statistically significant difference was found in the rate of mortality (20% in M1 vs 13.6% in M2, p=0.32), excellent (34.5% vs 37.3%, p=0.75) or good (51% vs 55.9%, p=0.54) clinical outcomes between the two groups. Infarct volumes (48.4 mL vs 46.2 mL, p=0.62) were comparable between the two groups, as were the rates of hemorrhagic (3.3% vs 3.4%, p=1.0) and procedural complications (3.3% vs 5.1%, p=0.69).ConclusionOur data on MT targeting M2 occlusions demonstrates reasonable safety and functional outcomes. Further randomized clinical trials are needed to clarify which patients may benefit from MT for M2 occlusions.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Jang Hun Kim ◽  
Wonki Yoon ◽  
Chi Kyung Kim ◽  
Haewon Roh ◽  
Hee Jin Bae ◽  
...  

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Clinical outcome in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) caused by large vessel occlusion (LVO) is not satisfactory if reperfusion treatment fails or is not tried. <b><i>Aims:</i></b> We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of urgent superficial temporal-to-middle cerebral artery (STA-MCA) bypass surgery in selected patients. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Patients who were diagnosed with LVO-induced AIS in the anterior circulation but had a failed intra-arterial thrombectomy (IAT) or were not tried due to IAT contraindications were prospectively enrolled. Timely urgent STA-MCA bypass surgery was performed if they showed perfusion-diffusion mismatch or symptom-diffusion mismatch in the acute phase of disease. Clinical and radiological data of these patients were assessed to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of urgent bypass procedures. A pooled analysis of published data on urgent bypass surgery in acute stroke patients was conducted and analyzed. <b><i>Results:</i></b> In 18 patients who underwent timely bypass, the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score improved from 12.11 ± 4.84 to 9.89 ± 6.52, 1 week after surgery. Three-month and long-term (9.72 ± 5.00 months) favorable outcomes (modified Rankin Scale [mRS] scores 0–2) were achieved in 50 and 75% of the patients, respectively. The pooled analysis (117 patients from 10 articles, including ours) identified favorable mRS scores in 71.79% patients at 3 months. A significant NIHSS score improvement from 11.51 ± 4.89 to 7.59 ± 5.50 was observed after surgery with significance. Major complications occurred in 3 patients (2.6%, 3/117) without mortality. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> Urgent STA-MCA bypass surgery can be regarded as a safe optional treatment to prevent cerebral infarct expansion and to improve clinical and radiological outcomes in highly selected patients.


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