Initial Experience With the Next-Generation Resolute Onyx Zotarolimus-Eluting Stent in Symptomatic Intracranial Atherosclerotic Disease

Background and Purpose: Intracranial atherosclerotic disease (ICAD) is a common cause of stroke worldwide. Although there are different endovascular options for the treatment of symptomatic ICAD (sICAD), it is still controversial. Herein, we aim to study the safety and efficacy of a new generation of drug-eluting balloon-mounted stent (DES); Resolute (R) onyx DES in the treatment of sICAD. Methods:A prospectively maintained neuroendovascular procedures database in a high-volume comprehensive stroke center was reviewed from October 2019 through January 2020. Patients were included if they had sICAD (≥70% stenosis), failed medical management, and underwent intracranial stenting with R-onyx DES. Technical success was defined as the ability to deploy the device at the desired location and achievement of Results: A total of 18 consecutive patients (mean age, 66.6 years; 44.4% were females and 94.4% were Hispanic) were eligible for the analysis. Indication for treatment was recurrent strokes in 13 and recurrent transient ischemic attack (TIA) in 5. A total of 22 symptomatic lesions with a mean baseline stenosis percent (84.9 ± 9.6) were treated using 23 R-onyx DES in 19 procedures. All procedures were done under general anesthesia with 100% technical success, and no reported periprocedural strokes or death. Among 13 patients who had clinical follow-up, 1 (7.7%) patient had TIA. There were no reported ischemic or hemorrhagic strokes. Angiographic follow-up for 9 (50%) patients showed no in-stent restenosis. Conclusion: The use of R-onyx DES in the treatment of sICAD is safe with high technical success rates. Large prospective multicenter trials with long-term follow-up are warranted

Safety and efficacy of balloon-mounted stent in the treatment of symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic disease: a multicenter experience

Background Randomized clinical trials have failed to prove that the safety and efficacy of endovascular treatment for symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic disease (ICAD) is better than that of medical management. A recent study using a self-expandable stent showed acceptable lower rates of periprocedural complications. Objective To study the safety and efficacy of a balloon-mounted stent (BMS) in the treatment of symptomatic ICAD. Methods Prospectively maintained databases from 15 neuroendovascular centers between 2010 and 2020 were reviewed. Patients were included if they had severe symptomatic intracranial stenosis in the target artery, medical management had failed, and they underwent intracranial stenting with BMS after 24 hours of the qualifying event. The primary outcome was the occurrence of stroke and mortality within 72 hours after the procedure. Secondary outcomes were the occurrence of stroke, transient ischemic attacks (TIAs), and mortality on long-term follow-up. Results A total of 232 patients were eligible for the analysis (mean age 62.8 years, 34.1% female). The intracranial stenotic lesions were located in the anterior circulation in 135 (58.2%) cases. Recurrent stroke was the qualifying event in 165 (71.1%) while recurrent TIA was identified in 67 (28.9%) cases. The median (IQR) time from the qualifying event to stenting was 5 (2–20.75) days. Strokes were reported in 13 (5.6%) patients within 72 hours of the procedure; 9 (3.9%) ischemic and 4 (1.7%) hemorrhagic, and mortality in 2 (0.9%) cases. Among 189 patients with median follow-up time 6 (3–14.5) months, 12 (6.3%) had TIA and 7 (3.7%) had strokes. Three patients (1.6%) died from causes not related to stroke. Conclusion Our study has shown that BMS may be a safe and effective treatment for medically refractory symptomatic ICAD. Additional prospective randomized clinical trials are warranted

The Society of Vascular and Interventional Neurology (SVIN) Mechanical Thrombectomy Registry: Methods and Primary Results

Background A better understanding of real‐world practice patterns in the endovascular treatment for large vessel occlusion acute ischemic stroke is needed. Here, we report the methods and initial results of the Society of Vascular and Interventional Neurology (SVIN) Registry. Methods The SVIN Registry is an ongoing prospective, multicenter, observational registry capturing patients with large vessel occlusion acute ischemic stroke undergoing endovascular treatment since November 2018. Participating sites also contributed pre‐SVIN Registry data collected per institutional prospective registries, and these data were combined with the SVIN Registry in the SVIN Registry+ cohort. Results There were 2088 patients treated across 11 US centers included in the prospective SVIN Registry and 5372 in SVIN Registry+. In the SVIN Registry cohort, the median number of enrollments per institution was 160 [interquartile range 53–243]. Median age was 67 [58–79] years, 49% were women, median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale 16 [10–21], Alberta stroke program early CT score 9 [7–10], and 20% had baseline modified Rankin scale (mRS)≥2. The median last‐known normal to puncture time was 7.7 [3.1–11.5] hours, and puncture‐to‐reperfusion was 33 [23–52] minutes. The predominant occlusion site was the middle cerebral artery‐M1 (45%); medium vessel occlusions occurred in 97(4.6%) patients. The median number of passes was 1 [1–3] with 93% achieving expanded Treatment In Cerebral Ischemia2b50–3 reperfusion and 51% expanded Treatment In Cerebral Ischemia3/complete reperfusion. Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage occurred in 5.3% of patients, with 37.3% functional independence (mRS0–2) and 26.4% mortality rates at 90‐days. Multivariable regression indicated older age, longer last‐normal to reperfusion, higher baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale and glucose, lower Alberta stroke program early CT score, heart failure, and general anesthesia associated with lower 90‐day chances of mRS0–2 at 90‐days. Demographic, imaging, procedural, and clinical outcomes were similar in the SVIN Registry+. A comparison between AHA Guidelines‐eligible patients from the SVIN Registry against the Highly Effective Reperfusion evaluated in Multiple Endovascular Stroke Trials study population demonstrated comparable clinical outcomes. Conclusions The prospective SVIN Registry demonstrates that satisfactory procedural and clinical outcomes can be achieved in real‐world practice, serving as a platform for local quality improvement and the investigation of unexplored frontiers in the endovascular treatment of acute stroke

Repeated Mechanical Endovascular Thrombectomy for Recurrent Large Vessel Occlusion: A Multicenter Experience

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Mechanical thrombectomy (MT) is now the standard of care for large vessel occlusion (LVO) stroke. However, little is known about the frequency and outcomes of repeat MT (rMT) for patients with recurrent LVO. METHODS: This is a retrospective multicenter cohort of patients who underwent rMT at 6 tertiary institutions in the United States between March 2016 and March 2020. Procedural, imaging, and outcome data were evaluated. Outcome at discharge was evaluated using the modified Rankin Scale. RESULTS: Of 3059 patients treated with MT during the study period, 56 (1.8%) underwent at least 1 rMT. Fifty-four (96%) patients were analyzed; median age was 64 years. The median time interval between index MT and rMT was 2 days; 35 of 54 patients (65%) experienced recurrent LVO during the index hospitalization. The mechanism of stroke was cardioembolism in 30 patients (56%), intracranial atherosclerosis in 4 patients (7%), extracranial atherosclerosis in 2 patients (4%), and other causes in 18 patients (33%). A final TICI recanalization score of 2b or 3 was achieved in all 54 patients during index MT (100%) and in 51 of 54 patients (94%) during rMT. Thirty-two of 54 patients (59%) experienced recurrent LVO of a previously treated artery, mostly the pretreated left MCA (23 patients, 73%). Fifty of the 54 patients (93%) had a documented discharge modified Rankin Scale after rMT: 15 (30%) had minimal or no disability (modified Rankin Scale score ≤2), 25 (50%) had moderate to severe disability (modified Rankin Scale score 3-5), and 10 (20%) died. CONCLUSIONS: Almost 2% of patients treated with MT experience recurrent LVO, usually of a previously treated artery during the same hospitalization. Repeat MT seems to be safe and effective for attaining vessel recanalization, and good outcome can be expected in 30% of patients

Decline in subarachnoid haemorrhage volumes associated with the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 pandemic, decreased volumes of stroke admissions and mechanical thrombectomy were reported. The study\u27s objective was to examine whether subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) hospitalisations and ruptured aneurysm coiling interventions demonstrated similar declines. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional, retrospective, observational study across 6 continents, 37 countries and 140 comprehensive stroke centres. Patients with the diagnosis of SAH, aneurysmal SAH, ruptured aneurysm coiling interventions and COVID-19 were identified by prospective aneurysm databases or by International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, codes. The 3-month cumulative volume, monthly volumes for SAH hospitalisations and ruptured aneurysm coiling procedures were compared for the period before (1 year and immediately before) and during the pandemic, defined as 1 March-31 May 2020. The prior 1-year control period (1 March-31 May 2019) was obtained to account for seasonal variation. FINDINGS: There was a significant decline in SAH hospitalisations, with 2044 admissions in the 3 months immediately before and 1585 admissions during the pandemic, representing a relative decline of 22.5% (95% CI -24.3% to -20.7%, p\u3c0.0001). Embolisation of ruptured aneurysms declined with 1170-1035 procedures, respectively, representing an 11.5% (95%CI -13.5% to -9.8%, p=0.002) relative drop. Subgroup analysis was noted for aneurysmal SAH hospitalisation decline from 834 to 626 hospitalisations, a 24.9% relative decline (95% CI -28.0% to -22.1%, p\u3c0.0001). A relative increase in ruptured aneurysm coiling was noted in low coiling volume hospitals of 41.1% (95% CI 32.3% to 50.6%, p=0.008) despite a decrease in SAH admissions in this tertile. INTERPRETATION: There was a relative decrease in the volume of SAH hospitalisations, aneurysmal SAH hospitalisations and ruptured aneurysm embolisations during the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings in SAH are consistent with a decrease in other emergencies, such as stroke and myocardial infarction

Therapeutic Advancements in the Endovascular Management of Acute Ischemic Stroke

Stroke is the major cause of disability and the second leading cause of death worldwide. Acute ischemic stroke is responsible for ∼85% of all strokes, with 24% to 46% attributable to large‐vessel occlusion, which are typically associated with worse outcomes. Although the initial efforts to develop endovascular treatment for acute ischemic stroke took place over 6 decades ago, critical gaps in device technology and treatment selection existed, resulting in 3 failed randomized clinical trials published in 2013. Fortunately, devices and techniques have dramatically evolved over the past decade, leading to significant improvements in the safety, speed, and completeness of reperfusion. Since 2015, a total of 9 randomized trials have consistently demonstrated an overwhelming benefit to endovascular reperfusion. In this article, we will review the evolution of endovascular treatment for acute ischemic stroke, including the technical and technological advances as well as the perspectives in terms of patient selection and procedural and clinical outcomes of the landmark past and recent trials

Decontamination of Uranium-Polluted Groundwater by Chemically-Enhanced, Sawdust-Activated Carbon

The preparation of highly efficient and low-cost activated carbon from sawdust was achieved for the treatment of uranium-contaminated groundwater. The adsorption properties of the synthesized activated carbon, as well as their ability to be reused, were assessed. The obtained results demonstrated that sawdust activated carbon (SDAC) and its amine form (SDACA) had high affinity towards uranium ions at pH values of 4.5 and 5 for SDAC and SDACA, respectively. The experimental results showed that the maximum adsorption capacity of uranium was 57.34 and 76.7 mg/g for SDAC and SDACA, respectively. A maximum removal efficiency of 89.72% by SDAC and 99.55% by SDACA were obtained at a solid/liquid ratio of 8 mg/mL. The removal mechanism of uranium by SDAC and SDACA was suggested due to interaction with the amine and carboxylic groups. The validation of the method was verified through uranium separation from synthetic as well as from groundwater collected from water wells in the Wadi Naseib area, Southwestern Sinai, Egypt

Abstract Number ‐ 51: Automated Versus Human Hyperdense Vessel Sign Detection Using Non‐Contrast Computed Tomography Scans

Introduction Rapid detection of large vessel occlusion (LVO) is very crucial in triaging stroke patients potentially candidates for mechanical thrombectomy (MT). Hyperdense vessel sign (HDVS) is one of the earliest ischemic changes in non‐contrast CT scan (NCCT) indicating LVO stroke. Artificial intelligence emerged to detect HDVS with the advantages of faster acquisition, less variation, and a lower need for experience than the usual detection. We aimed to identify the diagnostic performance of automated software (e‐Stroke, Brainomix) in HDVS detection. Methods A prospectively collectedMT database from March 2020 to August 2021 was reviewed. Patients were included if they had intracranial internal carotid artery or middle cerebral artery M1 or M2 occlusion. Cases with HDVS were identified through the routine 2.5‐mm slice thickness NCCT scans after being correlated with patients’ clinical information and confirmed with CT angiography (CTA) scans. NCCT scans were classified according to slice thickness into two groups: 2.5‐mm scans and 0.625‐mm generated scans. All NCCT scans were read by e‐Stroke software, then deidentified and reviewed by two stroke neurologists who were blinded to any clinical, other imaging, or therapeutic information. They were required to record the presence/laterality of HDVS before and after observing other NCCT early ischemic changes like gaze deviation, loss of insular ribbon, caudate or lentiform hypodensity. ROC curve analysis was used to estimate sensitivity and specificity and the area under the curve (AUC) was compared using DeLong’s test. Inter‐rater agreement between the two readers’ final reads, e‐Stroke, and the standard read was measured using the Fleiss Kappa test. Results Among 304 patients included in the study, 37.7% had HDVS. Approximately 44% of the scans had 2.5‐mm slice thickness and 56% had 0.625‐mm slice thickness. The e‐Stroke software identified HDVS with a sensitivity of 63% and a specificity of 71% (Table 1). The mean AUC value of e‐Stroke HDVS detection (0.67[0.61‐0.74]) was similar to reader‐1 (0.68[0.62‐0.74];p = 0.87) and reader‐2 (0.63[0.57‐0.70];p = 0.56). HDVS detection improved by reader‐1(0.78[0.72‐0.83];p = 0.03) after observing other early ischemic changes on the same scans, but reader‐2 performance remained similar to e‐Stroke (0.69[0.63‐0.76];p = 0.71). AUC, sensitivity and specificity ofHDVS detection by e‐Stroke were significantly higher using 2.5‐mm compared to 0.625‐mm sliced NCCT scans (0.78[0.70‐0.86],sensitivity 70%,specificity 86%;p< 0.001) vs (0.58[0.50‐0.67],sensitivity 56%,specificity 61%;p = 0.06) respectively;p = 0.01. The readers also had higher AUC values with 2.5‐mm scans but not statistically significant, (0.74[0.66‐0.83] vs 0.64[0.56‐0.73];p = 0.18) for reader‐1 and (0.68[0.59‐0.77] vs 0.57[0.48‐0.66];p = 0.23) for reader‐2. The same after the final read, (0.85[0.78‐0.92] vs 0.75[0.67‐0.82];p = 0.08) for reader‐1 and (0.73[0.65‐0.82] vs 0.67[0.58‐0.76];p = 0.43) for reader‐2. Similarly, inter‐rater agreement was higher using 2.5‐mm sliced scans, k = 0.50(0.43‐0.75) compared to0.625‐mm scans,k = 0.27(0.21‐0.33). Conclusions Artificial intelligence (e‐Stroke software) has comparable sensitivity and specificity to human readers in HDVS detection. For e‐Stroke software, 2.5‐mm sliced CT scans are better to identifyHDVS compared to 0.625‐mm scans

Epidemiological Surveillance of the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Stroke Care Using Artificial Intelligence

Background and Purpose: The degree to which the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected systems of care, in particular, those for time-sensitive conditions such as stroke, remains poorly quantified. We sought to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 in the overall screening for acute stroke utilizing a commercial clinical artificial intelligence platform. Methods: Data were derived from the Viz Platform, an artificial intelligence application designed to optimize the workflow of patients with acute stroke. Neuroimaging data on suspected patients with stroke across 97 hospitals in 20 US states were collected in real time and retrospectively analyzed with the number of patients undergoing imaging screening serving as a surrogate for the amount of stroke care. The main outcome measures were the number of computed tomography (CT) angiography, CT perfusion, large vessel occlusions (defined according to the automated software detection), and severe strokes on CT perfusion (defined as those with hypoperfusion volumes \u3e70 mL) normalized as number of patients per day per hospital. Data from the prepandemic (November 4, 2019 to February 29, 2020) and pandemic (March 1 to May 10, 2020) periods were compared at national and state levels. Correlations were made between the inter-period changes in imaging screening, stroke hospitalizations, and thrombectomy procedures using state-specific sampling. Results: A total of 23 223 patients were included. The incidence of large vessel occlusion on CT angiography and severe strokes on CT perfusion were 11.2% (n=2602) and 14.7% (n=1229/8328), respectively. There were significant declines in the overall number of CT angiographies (−22.8%; 1.39–1.07 patients/day per hospital, P Conclusions: A significant decline in stroke imaging screening has occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. This analysis underscores the broader application of artificial intelligence neuroimaging platforms for the real-time monitoring of stroke systems of care