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François Zhu,1,2 Benjamin Gory,2,3 Gioia Mione,1 Lisa Humbertjean,1 Anne-Laure Derelle,2 Sébastien Richard1,4 1Department of Neurology, Stroke Unit, University Hospital of Nancy, Nancy Cedex, France; 2Department of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Neuroradiology, University Hospital of Nancy, Nancy Cedex, France; 3INSERM U1254, IADI F-54000, Nancy, France; 4Centre d’Investigation Clinique Plurithématique Pierre Drouin, CIC-P 1433 INSERM U1116, University Hospital of Nancy, Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France Abstract: Cerebral infarction due to acute embolism in the large artery during pregnancy is a rare but severe condition threatening both the mother’s and child’s life. Physicians lack diagnostic and therapeutic guidance to manage this particular situation due to the paucity of published cases. Furthermore, the pathogeny is poorly known, rendering preventive strategies difficult. We describe the case of a young woman presenting cryptogenic acute cerebral infarction during the first trimester of pregnancy who was successfully treated with combined reperfusion therapy. We reviewed the literature to collect data about pathogeny and management. A 28-year-old pregnant woman was diagnosed with acute cerebral infarction due to left middle cerebral artery occlusion at 9 weeks of gestation. Endovascular thrombectomy combined with intravenous thrombolysis allowed cerebral reperfusion leading to a decrease in the National Institute of Health Stroke Score from 13 to 1 at 24 hours. Comprehensive etiological investigation was negative. Anticoagulation therapy with low-molecular-weight heparin was administered as preventive treatment during the pregnancy and postpartum. Neither the mother nor the child experienced any complications: the baby was born by normal vaginal delivery and the outcome was good at 1 year. We identified 21 other cases of patients treated with reperfusion therapies, four of which consisted of endovascular thrombectomy, and only one a combined strategy. Pregnant women with acute cerebral infarction due to arterial occlusion can benefit from combined reperfusion therapy. More cases should be collected to assess treatment in these patients, to understand pathogeny, and propose the best preventive strategy. Keywords: pregnancy, acute cerebral infarction, stroke, rt-PA, thrombolysis, endovascular thrombectomy

Nolwenn Riou-Comte,1 Gioia Mione,1 Lisa Humbertjean,1 Marie-Alexia Ottenin,2 Jean-Christophe Lacour,1 Sébastien Richard1,3 1Department of Neurology, Stroke Unit, University Hospital of Nancy, Nancy Cedex, France; 2Department of Neuroradiology, University Hospital of Nancy, Nancy Cedex, France; 3Centre d’Invesigation Clinique Plurithématique Pierre Drouin CIC-P 1433 INSERM U1116, University Hospital of Nancy, Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France Objective: Spontaneous cervical artery dissection (CAD) is a cerebrovascular disease typically considered to affect the young population. Literature reports cases in the elderly only as incidental findings, making the diagnosis unlikely in older patients. Incidence and pathogeny in this specific population remain to be assessed.Methods: We reviewed patients aged over 70 years admitted for spontaneous CAD in the Stroke Unit of the University Hospital of Nancy (northeastern France) over a period of 12 years as well as all reported cases in literature.Results: During this period, only two patients aged over 70 years were diagnosed with internal carotid artery dissection in our center. The first patient was diagnosed with the typical radiological feature of long tapered stenosis due to mural hematoma. The second patient presented with the classic painful Horner syndrome. Literature review identified only two case reports and eight studies with an age range above 70 years. Headache was present in nearly all documented cases. Radiological features were the same as those usually described in younger patients.Conclusions: Even if spontaneous CAD in patients aged over 70 years would appear to be rare, it does occur with comparable clinical and radiological features as in the younger population. CAD is probably underdiagnosed in this population due to a higher prevalence of more common causes of stroke at this age. However, a simple investigation into headache or the Horner syndrome during the patient’s diagnostic workup would lead to adapted exploration of cervical arteries and improve detection of CAD in the elderly. Keywords: cerebral infarction, elderly, false aneurysm, Horner syndrome, old patients, spontaneous cervical artery dissection

Background and purpose: Intravenous thrombolysis plus mechanical thrombectomy (IVT + MT) is the best current management of acute stroke due to large‐vessel occlusion and results in optimal reperfusion for most patients. Nevertheless, some of these patients do not subsequently achieve functional independence. The aim was to identify baseline factors associated with 3‐month independence after optimal reperfusion and to validate a prediction model. Methods: All consecutive patients with intracranial anterior large‐vessel occlusion, with indication for IVT + MT and achieving optimal reperfusion (defined as modified Treatment in Cerebral Ischaemia score 2b–3), from the THRACE trial and the ETIS registry, were included in order to identify a prediction model. The primary outcome was 3‐month independence [modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score ≤ 2]. Multivariate inferences invoked forward logistic regression, multiple imputation and bootstrap resampling. Predictive performance was assessed by c‐statistic. Model validation was conducted on patients from the ASTER trial. Results: Amongst 139 patients (mean age 65.5 years; 54.3% female), predictors of 3‐month mRS ≤ 2 (n = 82) were younger age [odds ratio 0.62 per 10‐year increase; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.53–0.72] and higher Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomography Score (ASPECTS) (odds ratio 1.65 per 1‐point increase; 95% CI 1.47–1.86) with c‐statistic 0.77. Model validation (n = 104/181 patients with 3‐month mRS ≤ 2) demonstrated a moderate discrimination (c‐statistic 0.74; 95% CI 0.66–0.81) combining age and ASPECTS. The validation model was improved by the adjunction of three candidate variables that were found to be predictors. Addition of baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, history of vascular risk factor and onset‐to‐reperfusion time significantly improved discrimination (c‐statistic 0.85; 95% CI 0.83–0.87). Conclusions: After optimal reperfusion, younger age, higher ASPECTS, lower NIHSS score, shorter onset‐to‐reperfusion time and absence of vascular risk factor were predictive of independence and could help to guide patient management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an increasing number of transradial approach (TRA) for carotid artery stenting (CAS), however, similar techniques and materials as for femoral access are used. We report the results of TRA lower profile technique for CAS using a 7 F Simmons guiding catheter, especially in terms of feasibility and procedural safety in a single center.We retrospectively analyzed 68 consecutive patients with symptomatic extracranial carotid stenoses who underwent 75 CAS between January 2018 and December 2021. The success and crossover rate, procedural time, fluoroscopy, clinical outcomes, technical considerations, and procedural complications were analyzed.TRA CAS with Simmons guiding catheter was successful in 67/75 (89.3%) cases, with a 7 (9.3%) crossover rate. Fluoroscopy mean time was 15.8 minutes. Two forearm hematomas were described. No ischemic or surgical site complications were reported.In our experience frontline TRA with a 7 F Simmons guiding catheter is feasible with high procedural success and a low rate of access site complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]