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Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text., Background and Purpose: Optimal blood pressure (BP) management in the acute phase of ischemic stroke remains an unresolved issue. It is uncertain whether guidelines for BP management during and after intravenous alteplase can be extrapolated to endovascular treatment (EVT) for stroke due to large artery occlusion in the anterior circulation. We evaluated the associations between systolic BP (SBP) in the first 6 hours following EVT and functional outcome as well as symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage. Methods: Patients of 8 MR CLEAN (Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial of Endovascular Treatment for Acute Ischemic Stroke in the Netherlands) Registry centers, with available data on SBP in the 6 hours following EVT, were analyzed. We evaluated maximum, minimum, and mean SBP. Study outcomes were functional outcome (modified Rankin Scale) at 90 days and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage. We used multivariable ordinal and binary regression analysis to adjust for important prognostic factors and studied possible effect modification by successful reperfusion. Results: Post-EVT SBP data were available for 1161/1796 patients. Higher maximum SBP (per 10 mm Hg increments) was associated with worse functional outcome (adjusted common odds ratio, 0.93 [95% CI, 0.88–0.98]) and a higher rate of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (adjusted odds ratio, 1.17 [95% CI, 1.02–1.36]). The association between minimum SBP and functional outcome was nonlinear with an inflection point at 124 mm Hg. Minimum SBP lower and higher than the inflection point were associated with worse functional outcomes (adjusted common odds ratio, 0.85 per 10 mm Hg decrements [95% CI, 0.76–0.95] and adjusted common odds ratio, 0.81 per 10 mm Hg increments [95% CI, 0.71–0.92]). No association between mean SBP and functional outcome was observed. Successful reperfusion did not modify the relation of SBP with any of the outcomes. Conclusions: Maximum SBP in the first 6 hours following EVT is positively associated with worse functional outcome and an increased risk of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage. Both lower and higher minimum SBP are associated with worse outcomes. A randomized trial to evaluate whether modifying post-intervention SBP results in better outcomes after EVT for ischemic stroke seems justified.

Background and purposeWe investigated whether the annual volume of patients with acute ischemic stroke referred from a primary stroke center (PSC) for endovascular treatment (EVT) is associated with treatment times and functional outcome.MethodsWe used data from the Multicenter Randomized Clinical Trial of Endovascular Treatment for Acute Ischemic Stroke in the Netherlands (MR CLEAN) registry (2014–2017). We included patients with acute ischemic stroke of the anterior circulation who were transferred from a PSC to a comprehensive stroke center (CSC) for EVT. We examined the association between EVT referral volume of PSCs and treatment times and functional outcome using multivariable regression modeling. The main outcomes were time from arrival at the PSC to groin puncture (PSC-door-to-groin time), adjusted for estimated ambulance travel times, time from arrival at the CSC to groin puncture (CSC-door-to-groin time), and modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score at 90 days after stroke.ResultsOf the 3637 patients in the registry, 1541 patients (42%) from 65 PSCs were included. Mean age was 71 years (SD ± 13.3), median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score was 16 (interquartile range [IQR]: 12–19), and median time from stroke onset to arrival at the PSC was 53 min (IQR: 38–90). Eighty-three percent had received intravenous thrombolysis. EVT referral volume was not associated with PSC-door-to-groin time (adjusted coefficient: −0.49 min/annual referral, 95% confidence interval [CI]: −1.27 to 0.29), CSC-door-to-groin time (adjusted coefficient: −0.34 min/annual referral, 95% CI: −0.69 to 0.01) or 90-day mRS score (adjusted common odds ratio: 0.99, 95% CI: 0.96–1.01).ConclusionsIn patients transferred from a PSC for EVT, higher PSC volumes do not seem to translate into better workflow metrics or patient outcome.

We report a case of severe radiation necrosis occurring after stereotactic radiation in a patient with breast cancer and brain metastases, during systemic T-DM1 treatment. Recently, there is an increasing interest in treatment interactions between (stereotactic) radiation therapy and new systemic therapies, such as tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), immunotherapy and antibody conjugates such as T-DM1. With the development and treatment of these new therapies, it is important to monitor and investigate possible interactions with radiation therapy.

Osteomyelitis is an inflammatory process accompanied by bone destruction, and is caused by microorganism infection. The infection can be limited to a single portion of the bone or can involve several compartments such as marrow, cortex, periosteum and the surrounding soft tissue. Osteomyelitis can be (1) spread locally from a focal source of infection, (2) secondary to vascular insufficiency, or (3) caused by hematogenous spread of the microorganism from a different source. For osteomyelitis in the extremities, the most common pathogen is Staphylococcus aureus. In skull-base osteomyelitis (SBO) it is Pseudomonas aeruginosa (50–90% of cases) [1]. Osteomyelitis of the skull base most often occurs as a complication of otitis externa, and can be categorized within the first category of focal infections. However, it is perceived as a special case due to the severe complications that can arise, given the location. The bacterial infection causes bone erosions, and uses fascial planes and venous sinuses for distant tissue invasion. It then can progress and spread to the surrounding osseous and soft tissues via the skull base.

Background Currently, acute ischemic stroke is still a leading cause of mortality and morbidity. Approximately 2 years ago, mechanical thrombectomy was proven beneficial as a revolutionary new therapy for stroke in the MR ‐CLEAN trial (A Multicenter Randomized Clinical Trial of Endovascular Treatment for Acute Ischemic Stroke in the Netherlands). However, the mechanisms by which the thrombectomy device, or stent‐retriever, interacts with the thrombus are largely unknown. A better understanding could lead to improved efficacy of mechanical thrombectomy devices. Methods and Results Seven stent‐retrievers with thrombi still entrapped were collected directly after thrombectomy. The stent‐retrievers were studied using micro computed tomography, followed by scanning electron microscopy and light microscopy. Two independent observers rated interaction type and thrombus surface structure (porous filamentous or dense) at the interaction sites. A total of 79 interaction sites between thrombus and stent‐retriever were categorized. Thrombus‐stent‐retriever interaction was found to be adhesive (n=44; 56%) or mechanical (n=35; 44%). Adhesive interaction was most frequently observed at interaction sites with a dense surface, compared with interaction sites with a porous filamentous fibrin surface (38/58; 66% versus 6/21; 29%, P =0.011). Conclusions The interaction between thrombus and stent‐retriever was predominantly adhesive, not mechanical. Adhesive interaction was strongly associated with the presence of a dense thrombus surface without a porous filamentous fibrin network.