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Purpose: Incomplete reperfusion after mechanical thrombectomy (MT) is associated with a poor outcome. Rescue therapy would potentially benefit some patients with an expanded treatment in cerebral ischemia score (eTICI) 2b50/2b67 reperfusion but also harbors increased risks. The relative benefits of eTICI 2c/3 over eTICI 2b50/67 in clinically important subpopulations were analyzed., Methods: Retrospective analysis of our institutional database for all patients with occlusion of the intracranial internal carotid artery (ICA) or the M1/M2 segment undergoing MT and final reperfusion of ≥eTICI 2b50 (903 patients). The heterogeneity in subgroups of different time metrics, age, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), number of retrieval attempts, Alberta Stroke Programme Early CT Score (ASPECTS) and site of occlusion using interaction terms (p i ) was analyzed., Results: The presence of eTICI 2c/3 was associated with better outcomes in most subgroups. Time metrics showed no interaction of eTICI 2c/3 over eTICI 2b50/2b67 and clinical outcomes (onset to reperfusion p i  = 0.77, puncture to reperfusion p i  = 0.65, onset to puncture p i  = 0.63). An eTICI 2c/3 had less consistent association with mRS ≤2 in older patients (>82 years, p i  = 0.038) and patients with either lower NIHSS (≤9) or very high NIHSS (>19, p i  = 0.01). Regarding occlusion sites, the beneficial effect of eTICI 2c/3 was absent for occlusions in the M2 segments (aOR 0.73, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.33-1.59, p i  = 0.018)., Conclusion: Beneficial effect of eTICI 2c/3 over eTICI 2b50/2b67 only decreased in older patients, M2-occlusions and patients with either low or very high NIHSS. Improving eTICI 2b50/2b67 to eTICI 2c/3 in those subgroups may be more often futile., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: The degree of reperfusion is the most important modifiable predictor of 3 month functional outcome and mortality in ischemic stroke patients treated with mechanical thrombectomy. Whether the beneficial effect of reperfusion also leads to a reduction in long term mortality is unknown., Methods: Patients undergoing mechanical thrombectomy between January 2010 and December 2018 were included. The post-thrombectomy degree of reperfusion and emboli in new territories were core laboratory adjudicated. Reperfusion was evaluated according to the expanded Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction (eTICI) scale. Vital status was obtained from the Swiss population register. Adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) using time split Cox regression models were calculated. Subgroup analyses were performed in patients with borderline indications., Results: Our study included 1264 patients (median follow-up per patient 2.5 years). Patients with successful reperfusion had longer survival times, attributable to a lower hazard of death within 0-90 days and for >90 days to 2 years (aHR 0.34, 95% CI 0.26 to 0.46; aHR 0.37, 95% CI 0.22 to 0.62). This association was homogeneous across all predefined subgroups (p for interaction >0.05). Among patients with successful reperfusion, a significant difference in the hazard of death was observed between eTICI2b50 and eTICI3 (aHR 0.51, 95% CI 0.33 to 0.79). Emboli in new territories were present in 5% of patients, and were associated with increased mortality (aHR 2.3, 95% CI 1.11 to 4.86)., Conclusion: Successful, and ideally complete, reperfusion without emboli in new territories is associated with a reduction in long term mortality in patients treated with mechanical thrombectomy, and this was evident across several subgroups., Competing Interests: Competing interests: UF reports grants during the conduct of the study from Medtronic, Stryker, and CSL Behring, unrelated to the submitted work. JG is a global principal investigator of STAR (Solitaire FR Thrombectomy for Acute Revascularisation), Clinical Event Committee member of the PROMISE study (Prospective, Multicenter, Observational, Single-Arm European Registry on the ACE Reperfusion Catheters and the Penumbra System in the Treatment of Acute Ischemic Stroke; Penumbra), and a principal investigator and consultant for the SWIFT DIRECT study (Solitaire With the Intention for Thrombectomy Plus Intravenous tPA Versus DIRECT Solitaire Stent-Retriever Thrombectomy in Acute Anterior Circulation Stroke; Medtronic) and receives Swiss National Science Foundation grants for magnetic resonance imaging in stroke. JK reports grants from the Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences/Bangerter Foundation, Swiss Stroke Society, and Clinical Trials Unit Bern during the conduct of the study. MA reports personal fees from Bayer, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Medtronic, Amgen, Daiichi Sankyo, Nestlé Health Sciences, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Covidien during the conduct of the study. TRM reports research support from the Bangerter Rhyner Foundation, Swiss National Foundation, and the Swiss Heart Foundation. MRH reports research support from the Bangerter Foundation, scientific advisory board honoraria from Amgen, and personal fees from Bayer., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2022. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background and Purpose: Mechanical thrombectomy is an effective recanalization technique in acute ischemic stroke patients with large vessel occlusions; however, it is unclear to what extent stent retriever thrombectomy may be applicable to occlusions of smaller peripheral cerebral vessels. The outcome of patients with isolated M2 occlusions treated with the Mindframe Capture low profile (LP) stent retriever was reviewed., Material and Methods: A retrospective review of prospectively collected data on all consecutive patients treated for isolated M2 occlusions between June 2013 and December 2017 using the Mindframe Capture LP was performed. Technical aspects of the recanalization procedure, recanalization rate, complication rate, and clinical outcome were analyzed., Results: Mechanical thrombectomy with the Mindframe Capture LP was performed in 38 patients (median age 79 years) with an isolated M2 occlusion. The median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score on admission was 7.5 (interquartile range, IQR 5-12) and successful reperfusion modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction (mTICI 2b or 3) was achieved in 28 patients (74%). A compensated/adjusted modified Rankin Scale (mRS) 0-2 at 3 months was observed in 65% when taking pre-stroke disability into account. Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) occurred in 1 patient (2.6%). Asymptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (aICH) was noted in 8 patients (21%) and a small subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) in the immediate vicinity of the target vessel was apparent in 8 patients (21%)., Conclusion: The Mindframe Capture LP is a technically effective thrombectomy device for the treatment of isolated M2 occlusions. The lower profile of the device is advantageous when targeting peripheral intracranial occlusions.

Background and Purpose- Sustained successful reperfusion is an important prognostic factor for good clinical outcome in acute ischemic stroke. We aimed to identify the prevalence, clinical impact, and predictors of early reocclusion after initially successful thrombectomies within a prospective cohort. Methods- A total of 711 stroke patients with successful reperfusion (modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction, 2b/3) followed with magnetic resonance or computed tomographic angiography at 24 to 48 hours were included. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate associated factors and clinical impact. Results are displayed as adjusted odds ratio (aOR) and 95% CI. Improvement in accuracy of additional imaging findings on angiography control runs after the intervention was evaluated by area under the curve. Results- Early reocclusion was observed in 16 of 711 successfully reperfused patients (2.3%; 95% CI, 1.1-3.3; median delay: 20 hours). Suggestive predictors were higher platelets on admission (aOR, 1.01; 95% CI, 1.01-1.02), prestroke functional dependence (aOR, 7.12; 95% CI, 1.49-34.03), and stroke of undetermined or other specified pathogenesis in the TOAST classification (aOR, 7.19; 95% CI, 1.10-47.05 and aOR, 36.50; 95% CI, 4.47-298.11, respectively). When implementing residual embolic fragments or stenosis at the thrombectomy site into the logistic regression model, discrimination between patients with and without reocclusion improved significantly (area under the curve, 0.955 versus 0.854; P=0.023). Early reocclusion was an independent predictor of unfavorable outcome at 90 days (aOR for modified Rankin Scale ≤2, 0.13; 95% CI, 0.03-0.57). Conclusions- Early reocclusion within 48 hours after successful mechanical thrombectomy is rare but associated with poor outcome. Patients with high platelets on admission and residual embolic fragments or stenosis at the thrombectomy site are at high risk for reocclusion, which may be prevented or corrected after carefully re-evaluating the last angiographic run.

Background and Purpose: Thrombus composition has been postulated to affect the success of endovascular therapy. Calcified clots are composed of large amounts of calcium phosphate which influences their mechanical properties and may serve as a model for testing this hypothesis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the recanalization and complication rates of calcified thromboemboli in patients with acute ischemic stroke who underwent thrombectomy., Material and Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed of all calcified intracranial thromboemboli in patients suffering an acute ischemic stroke, referred for endovascular therapy at two centers between January 2013 and July 2016., Results: Eight patients with a calcified intracranial clot underwent stent retriever thrombectomy (five women; mean age 80 years). Mean clot attenuation was 305 HU (range 150-640 HU). Successful reperfusion defined, as Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction grade 2b-3 was achieved in only one patient (12.5%). Two periprocedural adverse events occurred: one peripheral vessel perforation which was coiled and one inadvertent stent retriever detachment due to fracture of the stent retriever wire., Conclusion: Stent retriever thrombectomy of calcified thromboemboli seems less effective than with other types of clots. Different mechanical properties of calcified clots may render them stiffer and less accessible for stent retrievers. When faced with a calcified intracranial thromboembolus in clinical practice, a more contained approach may be warranted in view of low recanalization rates, and the potential for periprocedural adverse events., Competing Interests: Competing interests: UF: Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) research grants, Global PI SWIFT DIRECT trial, and consultant for Medtronic. JG: Global PI of STAR and SWIFT DIRECT (Medtronic), consultancy; CEC member of the Promise Study (Penumbra), consultancy; and Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) grants for MRI in stroke., (© Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.)

Purpose: Stent retrievers apply mechanical force to the intracranial vasculature. Our aim was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the long Solitaire 4 × 40 mm stent retriever for large vessel occlusion in stroke patients., Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of all patients treated for acute ischemic large vessel occlusion stroke with the Solitaire 2 FR 4 × 40 device between May and October 2016 at our institution. Patient-specific data at baseline and at discharge were documented. Reperfusion was graded with the thrombolysis in cerebral infarction (TICI) classification. Postinterventional angiograms and follow-up cross-sectional imaging were used to evaluate complications., Results: TICI 2b/3 recanalization was achieved in 20 of 23 patients (87.0%), in 17 patients with the first retriever pass. NIHSS improved from a mean score at presentation of 16 (range 4-36) to 11 (range 0-41) at discharge. Mean mRS score at discharge was 3 (range 0-6) and 3 (range 0-6) at 90 days post-treatment. No infarcts in other territories were observed. One patient showed a (reversible) vasospasm in the postinterventional angiogram and another a small contrast extravasation in follow-up imaging., Conclusion: The Solitaire 2 FR 4 × 40 stent retriever is a safe and efficient device for large vessel occlusion acute ischemic stroke with a high recanalization rate and a low peri- and postinterventional complication rate together with a good clinical outcome. Despite potentially higher friction and shearing forces, no increased incidence of visible damage to the vessel wall was observed.