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Background: Evidence regarding the utilization and outcomes of endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) for pediatric ischemic stroke is limited, and justification for its use is largely based on extrapolation from clinical benefits observed in adults., Methods: Weighted discharge data from the National Inpatient Sample were queried to identify pediatric patients with ischemic stroke (<18 years old) during the period of 2010 to 2019. Complex samples statistical methods were used to characterize the profiles and clinical outcomes of EVT-treated patients. Propensity adjustment was performed to address confounding by indication for EVT based on disparities in baseline characteristics between EVT-treated patients and those medically managed., Results: Among 7365 pediatric patients with ischemic stroke identified, 190 (2.6%) were treated with EVT. Utilization significantly increased in the post-EVT clinical trial era (2016-2019; 1.7% versus 4.0%; P <0.001), while the use of decompressive hemicraniectomy decreased (2.8% versus 0.7%; P <0.001). On unadjusted analysis, 105 (55.3%) EVT-treated patients achieved favorable functional outcomes at discharge (home or to acute rehabilitation), while no periprocedural iatrogenic complications or instances of contrast-induced kidney injury were reported. Following propensity adjustment, EVT-treated patients demonstrated higher absolute but nonsignificant rates of favorable functional outcomes in comparison with medically managed patients (55.3% versus 52.8%; P =0.830; adjusted hazard ratio, 1.01 [95% CI, 0.51-2.03]; P =0.972 for unfavorable outcome). Among patients with baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score >11 (75th percentile of scores in cohort), EVT-treated patients trended toward higher rates of favorable functional outcomes compared with those treated medically only (71.4% versus 55.6%; P =0.146). In a subcohort assessment of EVT-treated patients, those administered preceding thrombolytic therapy (n=79, 41.6%) trended toward higher rates of favorable functional outcomes (63.3% versus 49.5%; P =0.060)., Conclusions: This cross-sectional evaluation of the clinical course and short-term outcomes of pediatric patients with ischemic stroke treated with EVT demonstrates that EVT is likely a safe modality which confers high rates of favorable functional outcomes.

SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) infection, has recently been associated with a myriad of hematologic derangements; in particular, an unusually high incidence of venous thromboembolism has been reported in patients with COVID-19 infection. It is postulated that either the cytokine storm induced by the viral infection or endothelial damage caused by viral binding to the ACE-2 receptor may activate a cascade leading to a hypercoaguable state. Although pulmonary embolism and deep venous thrombosis have been well described in patients with COVID-19 infection, there is a paucity of literature on cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (cVST) associated with COVID-19 infection. cVST is an uncommon etiology of stroke and has a higher occurrence in women and young people. We report a series of three patients at our institution with confirmed COVID-19 infection and venous sinus thrombosis, two of whom were male and one female. These cases fall outside the typical demographic of patients with cVST, potentially attributable to COVID-19 induced hypercoaguability. This illustrates the importance of maintaining a high index of suspicion for cVST in patients with COVID-19 infection, particularly those with unexplained cerebral hemorrhage, or infarcts with an atypical pattern for arterial occlusive disease., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Recent randomized trials have demonstrated that endovascular therapy improves outcomes in patients with an acute ischemic stroke from a large vessel occlusion. Subgroup analysis of the Multicenter Randomized CLinical trial of Endovascular treatment for Acute ischemic stroke in the Netherlands (MR CLEAN) study found that patients undergoing general anesthesia (GA) for the procedure did worse than those with nongeneral anesthesia (non-GA). Current guidelines now suggest that we consider non-GA over GA, without large, randomized trials specifically designed to address this issue. We sought to review our experience and outcomes in a program where we routinely use GA in patients undergoing mechanical thrombectomy with similar techniques., Methods: Patients with anterior circulation strokes who received intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV-tPA) and endovascular stroke therapy were included in the analysis. The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) on admission and discharge and modified Rankin scale scores at discharge were recorded and compared with the outcome measurements of MR CLEAN., Results: Sixty patients were identified: 39 males and 21 females with a mean age of 62 (range of 29-88). Forty-seven patients were transferred from outside primary stroke centers, while 13 patients presented directly to our institution. Median NIHSS on admission was 15. The median time of symptom onset to endovascular therapy was 265 minutes, with an interquartile range of 81 minutes. Using the thrombolysis in cerebral infarction (TICI) scale, recanalization of TICI 2b-3 was achieved in 76.4% of recorded patients (42/55 recorded). At discharge, mortality was 16.7% (10/60), median NIHSS was 5, and 38.3% (23/60) of patients had a modified Rankin Scale score of 0-2., Conclusions: General anesthesia does not worsen outcome in patients undergoing mechanical thrombectomy when compared to historical subgroups. Despite a longer time from symptom onset to treatment, our outcomes for patients receiving GA compare favorably to the GA and non-GA groups in MR CLEAN., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)