Carotid Artery Stenting Using a Novel Self-Expanding Braided Nickel–Titanium Stent: Feasibility and Safety Porcine Trial

We studied the deliverability and safety of a braided, self-expanding, closed-cell nickel–titanium (NiTi) stent (E-volution, Jotec GmbH, Hechingen, Germany) especially designed for the endovascular treatment of carotid artery bifurcation stenosis with special regard to in-stent stenosis and thrombosis compared with a laser-cut reference nitinol stent in a porcine model of percutaneous vascular interventions. We aimed to assess histopathologic response in minipig carotid and subclavian arteries. Eight minipigs received a total of 42 stents: 14 reference stents and 28 E-volution stents. Eleven of the E-volution stents were additionally coated with heparin. Control angiography was obtained immediately before and after vascular intervention as well as 4 weeks after the procedure. Primary endpoints were 28 days of angiographic analyses as well as histomorphometric analysis, including injury score, inflammation score, luminal diameter, vessel diameter, maximal neointimal thickness, and area of in-stent stenosis. Secondary end points were procedural success, 28-day mortality, and stent thrombosis. All stents could be delivered successfully without procedural complications, morbidity, or mortality during our observation time. As confirmed by histology, no in-stent thrombosis was observed. Compared with common carotid arteries, subclavian arteries are significantly more vulnerable to developing in-stent stenosis caused by neointima proliferation (p < 0.05). Compared with the use of 1 single stent/artery, serial application of two stents leads to a more excessive but not significantly different neointimal proliferation (p > 0.05). The E-volution stent, especially when heparin coated, is in line with the comparison to the laser-cut reference stent displaying similar results of angiographic, histologic, and histomorphometric analyses (p > 0.05). Compared with the reference laser-cut stent, the self-expanding nitinol stent (E-volution) with its advanced braiding technology is feasible and safe. In our opinion, the high radial resistive force and the advanced braided design with tight stent-strut interstices may be beneficial in terms of plaque stabilization. Further studies are necessary and warranted

Status Update and Interim Results from the Asymptomatic Carotid Surgery Trial-2 (ACST-2)

Objectives: ACST-2 is currently the largest trial ever conducted to compare carotid artery stenting (CAS) with carotid endarterectomy (CEA) in patients with severe asymptomatic carotid stenosis requiring revascularization. Methods: Patients are entered into ACST-2 when revascularization is felt to be clearly indicated, when CEA and CAS are both possible, but where there is substantial uncertainty as to which is most appropriate. Trial surgeons and interventionalists are expected to use their usual techniques and CE-approved devices. We report baseline characteristics and blinded combined interim results for 30-day mortality and major morbidity for 986 patients in the ongoing trial up to September 2012. Results: A total of 986 patients (687 men, 299 women), mean age 68.7 years (SD ± 8.1) were randomized equally to CEA or CAS. Most (96%) had ipsilateral stenosis of 70-99% (median 80%) with contralateral stenoses of 50-99% in 30% and contralateral occlusion in 8%. Patients were on appropriate medical treatment. For 691 patients undergoing intervention with at least 1-month follow-up and Rankin scoring at 6 months for any stroke, the overall serious cardiovascular event rate of periprocedural (within 30 days) disabling stroke, fatal myocardial infarction, and death at 30 days was 1.0%. Conclusions: Early ACST-2 results suggest contemporary carotid intervention for asymptomatic stenosis has a low risk of serious morbidity and mortality, on par with other recent trials. The trial continues to recruit, to monitor periprocedural events and all types of stroke, aiming to randomize up to 5,000 patients to determine any differential outcomes between interventions. Clinical trial: ISRCTN21144362. © 2013 European Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Second asymptomatic carotid surgery trial (ACST-2): a randomised comparison of carotid artery stenting versus carotid endarterectomy

Background: Among asymptomatic patients with severe carotid artery stenosis but no recent stroke or transient cerebral ischaemia, either carotid artery stenting (CAS) or carotid endarterectomy (CEA) can restore patency and reduce long-term stroke risks. However, from recent national registry data, each option causes about 1% procedural risk of disabling stroke or death. Comparison of their long-term protective effects requires large-scale randomised evidence. Methods: ACST-2 is an international multicentre randomised trial of CAS versus CEA among asymptomatic patients with severe stenosis thought to require intervention, interpreted with all other relevant trials. Patients were eligible if they had severe unilateral or bilateral carotid artery stenosis and both doctor and patient agreed that a carotid procedure should be undertaken, but they were substantially uncertain which one to choose. Patients were randomly allocated to CAS or CEA and followed up at 1 month and then annually, for a mean 5 years. Procedural events were those within 30 days of the intervention. Intention-to-treat analyses are provided. Analyses including procedural hazards use tabular methods. Analyses and meta-analyses of non-procedural strokes use Kaplan-Meier and log-rank methods. The trial is registered with the ISRCTN registry, ISRCTN21144362. Findings: Between Jan 15, 2008, and Dec 31, 2020, 3625 patients in 130 centres were randomly allocated, 1811 to CAS and 1814 to CEA, with good compliance, good medical therapy and a mean 5 years of follow-up. Overall, 1% had disabling stroke or death procedurally (15 allocated to CAS and 18 to CEA) and 2% had non-disabling procedural stroke (48 allocated to CAS and 29 to CEA). Kaplan-Meier estimates of 5-year non-procedural stroke were 2·5% in each group for fatal or disabling stroke, and 5·3% with CAS versus 4·5% with CEA for any stroke (rate ratio [RR] 1·16, 95% CI 0·86–1·57; p=0·33). Combining RRs for any non-procedural stroke in all CAS versus CEA trials, the RR was similar in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients (overall RR 1·11, 95% CI 0·91–1·32; p=0·21). Interpretation: Serious complications are similarly uncommon after competent CAS and CEA, and the long-term effects of these two carotid artery procedures on fatal or disabling stroke are comparable. Funding: UK Medical Research Council and Health Technology Assessment Programme

Spinale Tumoren

Spinale Tumoren können intramedullär, innerhalb der Meningen (intradural), zwischen Meningen und Knochen (extradural) auftreten oder von anderen Lokalisationen sekundär zu einer Beteiligung der Wirbelsäule führen. Das Wirbelkörperhämangiom ist der häufigste gutartige Tumor der Wirbelsäule. Zu den häufigsten malignen spinalen Tumoren gehören Metastasen, das Lymphom und das multiple Myelom. Primäre Knochentumoren der Wirbelsäule sind im Vergleich dazu eher selten und zeigen auch oft charakteristische Bildbefunde. Für die Differenzialdiagnostik spielen das Patientenalter, die Lokalisation des Tumors und die magnetresonanz- und computertomographischen Befunde eine wichtige Rolle

[Inflammatory diseases of the spinal column and the myelon]

Inflammatory diseases of the spine and the spinal cord (myelon) can be caused by a wide range of pathological conditions. Except for degenerative inflammatory diseases of the spine, infectious and autoimmune disorders are relatively rare. The latter can also be a significant source of pain and disability, especially if these hard to diagnose conditions go untreated. In cases of advanced disease some entities, such as spondylodiscitis or rheumatoid arthritis can cause severe neurological impairment especially by progressive intraspinal spread. Inflammation of the myelon cannot be depicted with conventional radiographs in general and by computed tomography only occasionally. In these cases magnetic resonance imaging is the method of choice to detect early abnormalities of the myelon and to provide detailed information for the differential diagnosis

[Spondylitis/spondylodiscitis]

Spondylitis is an inflammation of the vertebral body. If the infection is manifested in the vertebral motor segment it is called spondylodiscitis, which can be divided into specific and nonspecific forms. It is clinically impressive that at the beginning of the disease, the patients who are quite often immunosuppressed suffer from localized, especially nocturnally exacerbated backache. The initial diagnostic work-up generally consists of clinical history, examination, laboratory tests, and (especially advanced) imaging findings. Although computed tomography still remains the most frequently used advanced imaging technique, magnetic resonance imaging is the golden standard for the diagnosis of spondylitis and spondylodiscitis

Spondylitis/spondylodiscitis

Spondylitis is an inflammation of the vertebral body. If the infection is manifested in the vertebral motor segment it is called spondylodiscitis, which can be divided into specific and nonspecific forms. It is clinically impressive that at the beginning of the disease, the patients who are quite often immunosuppressed suffer from localized, especially nocturnally exacerbated backache. The initial diagnostic work-up generally consists of clinical history, examination, laboratory tests, and (especially advanced) imaging findings. Although computed tomography still remains the most frequently used advanced imaging technique, magnetic resonance imaging is the golden standard for the diagnosis of spondylitis and spondylodiscitis. © Springer Medizin Verlag 2006

Use of decrease in apparent diffusion coefficient values to predict infarct age

The purpose of the study was to determine the ability to predict infarct age based on decrease in apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values. We retrospectively identified 94 individuals (age range 16 years to 91 years; mean 63.7 + 14.1 years) who underwent magnetic resonance diffusion-weighted imaging at our institution over a course of 14 months whose infarct age could be reliably determined within 1 h. A single observer measured ADC values within the center of the infarct and compared them against values in contralateral normal tissue. We examined the ability of four ADC decrease thresholds (i.e., 24 and >48 h. Levels of ADC decrease in infarcts were as follows: >20%, n = 9; 20-29%, n = 21; 30-39%, n = 25; 40-49%, n = 23; 24 h, sensitivity for the four ADC decrease thresholds ranged from 25% to 94%, specificity ranged from 10% to 85%, positive predictive value (PPV) ranged from 18% to 25%, and negative predictive value (NPV) ranged from 85% to 89%. For prediction of infarct age >48 h, sensitivity ranged from 23% to 98%, specificity ranged from 15% to 87%, PPV ranged from 46% to 56%, and NPV ranged from 60% to 89%. Test performance characteristics for predicting infarct age of >24 and >48 h were relatively poor. In particular, PPV was very low for predicting infarcts >24 h old