Retrograde Suction Decompression for Clip Occlusion of Internal Carotid Artery Communicating Segment Aneurysms

BACKGROUND: Retrograde suction decompression (RSD) can achieve proximal parent vessel control, improve aneurysm neck visualization, and allow parent vessel reconstruction for direct clipping of internal carotid artery (ICA) aneurysms. The aim of the present study was to describe the technique and surgical results of RSD for direct clipping of ICA communicating segment (C1) aneurysms. METHODS: The clinical data and treatment summaries of 20 patients who underwent RSD-assisted clipping of ICA C1 aneurysms were retrospectively reviewed. Pre- and postoperative three-or four-dimensional computed tomography angiograms, postoperative magnetic resonance images, surgical notes, operative complications, and outcomes were assessed. RESULTS: All patients except one harbored unruptured C1 aneurysms. Extracranial-intracranial graft bypass using the radial artery was performed in five patients. Fifteen patients required temporary clipping of the posterior communicating artery for further reduction of blood back-flow into the aneurysm. All aneurysms were successfully clipped and postoperative three-or four-dimensional computed tomography angiography revealed no major branch occlusion or residual aneurysm. At the 6-month follow-up examination, 19 patients had a good outcome and 1 patient had poor outcome associated with anterior choroidal artery ischemia. No death had occurred at 6-month follow-up examination. CONCLUSIONS: The RSD technique is a useful procedure to achieve proximal vascular control, to soften and shrinkage the aneurysm sac, and to provide a wide and clean operative field allowing safe clip placement. The RSD technique requires special attention to the relationship between the perforators and the aneurysm, and close cooperation between the surgeon and the assistant.Peer reviewe

Expression of Notch1 and Numb in small cell lung cancer

Notch signaling in tumorigenesis functions as an oncogene or tumor suppressor according to the type of malignancy. Numb represses intracellular Notch signaling. Previous studies have demonstrated that Notch signaling suppresses the proliferation of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) cell lines. However, in SCLC, the association between Notch1 and Numb expression and clinicopathological factors or prognosis has remained unclear. In this study, we evaluated the expression of Notch1 and Numb in SCLC. We immunohistochemically assessed 125 SCLCs that were surgically resected at 16 institutions participating in either the Hokkaido Lung Cancer Clinical Study Group Trial (HOT) or the Fukushima Investigative Group for Healing Thoracic Malignancy (FIGHT) between 2003 and 2013. Correlations between Notch1 or Numb expression and various clinicopathological features were evaluated. Notch1 expression was associated with ECOG performance status. Numb expression was associated with age, sex, and pathological histology (SCLC or Combined SCLC). Analysis of cellular biological expression did not demonstrate a significant correlation between the expression of Notch1 and of Numb. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that high Notch1 expression was an independent favorable prognostic factor for SCLC(hazard ratio = 0.503, P = 0.023). High Notch1 expression, but not Numb expression, is associated with favorable prognosis in SCLC

Association of Time Course of Thrombectomy and Outcomes for Large Acute Ischemic Region: RESCUE–Japan LIMIT Subanalysis

Background The effectiveness of endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) has been proven even in patients with large cerebral infarction in the early time window. However, the association of the time course with the treatment effect is unknown. The aim of this analysis was to evaluate the influence of the time course from stroke onset to reperfusion on the therapeutic effect of EVT. Methods The subjects were patients with occlusion of large vessels and sizable strokes on imaging (Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomographic score 3–5) in RESCUE–Japan LIMIT (Recovery by Endovascular Salvage for Cerebral Ultra‐Acute Embolism–Japan Large Ischemic Core Trial), a multicenter, randomized, clinical open‐label trial of EVT versus medical care alone. In the current analysis, the clinical and time course characteristics associated with a favorable outcome (modified Rankin scale [mRS] score of 0–2 and 0–3 at 90 days) were examined in patients treated with EVT. Results The analysis included 71 patients (median age, 77 years; median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score on admission, 21). Occlusion sites were the internal carotid artery (48%), proximal segment of the middle cerebral artery (72%) and tandem lesions (20%). Of these patients, 23 (32%) had an mRS score of 0 to 3 and 12 (17%) had an mRS score of 0 to 2 at 90 days. In multivariate analysis, there were independent associations of onset to reperfusion time (odds ratio [OR], 0.991 [95% CI, 0.984–0.999]; P=0.01) and puncture to reperfusion time (OR , 0.952 [95% CI, 0.917–0.988]; P<0.001) with an mRS score of 0 to 3 at 90 days, and puncture to reperfusion time (OR, 0.930 [95% CI, 0.872–0.991]; P=0.004) with an mRS score of 0 to 2 at 90 days. Conclusion Earlier reperfusion was related to a favorable outcome in patients with acute large‐vessel occlusion with a large ischemic region. Onset to reperfusion time and especially puncture to reperfusion time were independently associated with a favorable outcome. These results suggest the importance of timing and uninterrupted EVT in this patient population

Computed Tomography Perfusion Parameters Predictive of Symptomatic Intracranial Hemorrhage After Mechanical Thrombectomy in Patients With Cerebral Large Vessel Occlusion

Background Hemorrhagic transformation after recanalization is a severe complication in patients with a large ischemic core due to cerebral large vessel occlusion. Risk assessment using perfusion imaging to predict hemorrhagic infarction has not been established. Thus, we aimed to investigate the association between perfusion imaging findings and hemorrhagic transformation in patients with acute cerebral large vessel occlusion who had undergone preoperative perfusion imaging evaluation and mechanical thrombectomy. Methods We enrolled consecutive patients who received mechanical thrombectomy after undergoing perfusion imaging for anterior large vessel occlusion from May 2019 to March 2022. The patients in whom recanalization were not achieved and who experienced procedure‐related bleeding were excluded. We investigated the predictors of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) by exploring preoperative perfusion imaging parameters (relative cerebral blood flow, relative cerebral blood volume, time of maximum concentration, and hypoperfusion index ratio). Results Among the 167 patients (median age 79 years, 47% female) enrolled, 63 (38%) and 14 (8%) patients had any intracranial hemorrhage and sICH (sICH group), respectively. The sICH group had a shorter puncture‐recanalization time than the non‐sICH group (median [interquartile range (IQR)]; 43 [34–55] versus 61 [37–88]; P=0.046), whereas the modified Rankin scale at 90 days showed a worse prognosis (median [IQR]; 5 [5–6] versus 3 [1–4]; P<0.01). All perfusion imaging parameters were significantly predicting the sICH group in multiple logistic regression analysis. The value of relative cerebral blood volume was the parameter most strongly associated with sICH in receiver operating characteristic curve analysis (area under the curve=0.90, 95% CI [0.83–0.98]; cutoff 43 mL; sensitivity, 86 %; specificity, 87%). Conclusion Among perfusion computed tomography parameters, relative cerebral blood volume is highly associated with sICH after mechanical thrombectomy for cerebral large vessel occlusion. In patients with low relative cerebral blood volume regions, the indication of mechanical thrombectomy should be carefully considered for postoperative intracranial hemorrhage

Japan Trevo Registry: Real-world Registry of Stent Retriever Alone or in Combined Therapy with Aspiration Catheter for Acute Ischemic Stroke in Japan

Endovascular therapy (EVT) for real-world patients after extended time frames is associated with concerns about its efficacy and safety. We conducted a prospective registry at 77 centers between November 2019 and October 2020. The registry criteria included patients treated with Trevo Retriever alone or in combined therapy with an aspiration catheter. The primary outcome was effective reperfusion (thrombolysis in cerebral infarction grade 2b), the secondary outcome was a modified Rankin scale 0-2 at 90 days, and the safety outcomes were worsening of neurologic symptoms within 24 h postoperatively, intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) within 24 h after EVT and mortality. We also exlpored the difference between patients whose last known well time (LKWT) to a puncture was less than 6 h (0-6 h) and those whose LKWT was 6 h or more but less than 24 h (6-24 h). Among the 1041 patients registered, 1025 patients were analyzed. The mean age was 76.9 years, and 53.6% of the participants were males. The 6-24 h group was 206/998 (20.6%), the median National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score at admission was 18, and the median Alberta Stroke Program Early CT score was 8. Combined technique as the first pass was used on 817 (79.7%) patients. The primary outcome was 934 (91.1%). The secondary outcome was 433/1021 (42.4%). Symptomatic ICH, any ICH, and mortality were 10/1019 (1.0%), 311/1019 (30.5%), and 75 (7.3%). In the subanalysis, the 6-24 h group was lower in NIHSS (median;18 vs 16), and the secondary outcome was not significantly different in the <6 h group. Even after treatment time expansion, this result was comparable to other Trevo-based trials and nationwide registries