Endovascular Treatment Modalities Research Articles

Microsurgery of Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformations in a Resource-Limited Setting: The First Case-Series from Iraq

Cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) can lead to significant morbidity and are particularly challenging to manage in resource-limited settings where endovascular treatment modalities are unaffordable for most patients. To describe the first case series of AVM from Iraq with an analysis of the related clinicoradiologic characteristics, operative features, and outcomes. A single-center database from October 2018 to December 2022 was reviewed to analyze the characteristics of cerebral AVMs who underwent surgical treatment in Baghdad, Iraq. We collected patient demographics, clinical, radiologic, operative, and the follow-up combined outcome results (modified Rankin Scale score and the presence of AVM remnants). Of the 54 AVM patients treated with microsurgery, the majority of lesions have Spetzler-Martin grade of 3 (31.5%), followed by grade 1 (29.6%). The parietal lobe was the most common location of AVM in 25.9% of the cases, and the temporal location had better outcomes. The mean duration of surgery was 8.5 hours, ranging from 3 to 14 hours, with 20.3% of cases having undergone preoperative stereotactic radiosurgery, and just one patient received preoperative embolization. Good combined outcome (modified Rankin Scale 0-2 and no AVM remnant) was associated with lower SM grades (P=0.003); location in the nondominant hemisphere (P=0.036), and noneloquent regions (P=0.006); absence of deep venous drainage (P=0.042) and no intraoperative brain swelling (P=0.004). The mortality rate in our series was 5.5%. Good clinicoradiologic outcomes can be achieved through microsurgery in a setting where endovascular treatment is inaccessible to patients due to limited resources.

Percutaneous Endovascular Reconstruction of the Common Femoral Artery and Its Bifurcation.

Occlusive lesions of the common femoral artery (CFA) and its bifurcation have traditionally been treated with open surgery. Although long-term patency rates after open surgery are excellent, such repairs are associated with substantial local and general morbidity. In recent years, different treatment options have emerged within percutaneous endovascular repair. We hereby present a narrative review on endovascular treatment modalities and a treatment algorithm for endovascular revascularisation of the CFA and its bifurcation. Lesion analysis, access issues, vessel preparation tools, and types of repairs with or without the involvement of the bifurcation are described. Based on current data, an interventional approach can result in high technical success and acceptable mid-term patency rates. Further comparative evidence with open surgery and/or between the different types of endovascular repairs is required to improve the current treatment algorithm.

Optional management of failed endovascular intervention for infrainguinal arterial occlusive disease

Introduction Endovascular treatment is increasingly chosen as the first option for treating infrainguinal peripheral arterial disease. Although open surgical bypass provides the most durable option for limb salvage, it has substantial morbidity and mortality. Aim The aim of the study is to determine the causes of failure of endovascular intervention and treatment modalities of failed endovascular intervention and results of each modality. Patients and methods A prospective case series study that addresses the outcomes of managing 40 patients with chronic limb ischemia due to femoropopliteal disease treated by endovascular intervention, and the intervention was failed. Causes of failure within 30 days were analyzed. Results We had 13 (27.5%) females and 27 (72.5%) males; their age ranged from 45 to 77 years with a mean of 62.20±7.44. Presentation with rest pain: three (7.5%) patients, minor tissue loss: 18 (45%) patients, major tissue loss: 19 (47.5%) patients the length of lesion was between 5 and 10 cm in three (7.5%) patients and more than 10 cm in 37 (92.5%) patients. Runoff in anterior tibial artery: 23 (57.5%) patients, posterior tibial artery: 19 (47.5%) patients, and peroneal artery: 15 (37.5%) patients. We had no complications in 26 (65%) patients, failure to pass in 12 (30%) patients, and distal embolization in two (5%) patients as intraprocedural complications. During the 30-day follow-up: Acute stent thrombosis in 7 (17.5%) cases, flow-limiting dissection in 8 (20%) cases, residual stenosis in 3 (7.5%) cases, acute thrombosis in 2 (5%) cases, missed iliac lesions in 2 (5%) cases, post-procedural distal arterial tree embolization in 2 (5%) cases, and clinical failure was the cause in 2 (5%) cases. The management was: Redo endovascular in 18 (45%) patients, surgical bypass in 14 (35%) patients, primary amputation in six (15%) patients, and medical treatment in two (5%) patients. After 6 months follow-up limb salvage was in 57.5% of the cases with transmetatarsal amputation in 69.6% of them and major amputation was in 42.5% of the cases Conclusion Failed endovascular intervention procedures within 30 days were associated mainly with long lesions. So, surgical bypass appeared to be superior to endovascular intervention for long lesions. Improvements in endovascular equipment and angioplasty technique might ultimately improve the outcome results and decrease the failure rate of endovascular interventions

Comparative effectiveness of endovascular treatment modalities for de novo femoropopliteal lesions at long-term follow-up: A network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

PurposeTo evaluate the best endovascular treatment for de novo femoropopliteal lesions at long-term follow-up through network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. MethodsMedical databases were searched on September 17, 2023. 17 trials and 7 treatments were selected. Outcomes were primary patency, target lesion revascularization (TLR), major amputation and all-cause mortality at 3 and/or 5 years. ResultsRegarding 3-year primary patency, drug-eluting stents (DES) was the best and better than balloon angioplasty (BA; odds ratio [OR], 4.96; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.68–9.18), bare metal stents (BMS; OR, 2.81; 95% CI, 1.45–5.46), cryoplasty (OR, 6.75; 95% CI, 2.76–16.50), covered stents (CS; OR, 3.25; 95% CI, 1.19–8.87) and drug-coated balloons (DCB; OR, 2.04; 95% CI, 1.14–3.63). Regarding 5-year primary patency, DES was the best and better than BMS (OR, 2.34; 95% CI, 1.10–4.99). Regarding 3-year TLR, DES was the best and better than BA (OR, 0.24; 95% CI, 0.13–0.44). Regarding 5-year TLR, DES was the best and better than BA (OR, 0.20; 95% CI, 0.09–0.42) and balloon angioplasty with brachytherapy (OR, 0.21; 95% CI, 0.06–0.74). Regarding 3- and 5-year major amputation, DCB was the best. Regarding 3-year mortality, DES was the best and better than CS (OR, 0.09; 95% CI, 0.01–0.67). ConclusionsDES was the best treatment regarding 3-year primary patency, TLR and mortality, and DCB was the best regarding major amputation. DES was the best treatment regarding 5-year TLR, and DCB was the best regarding primary patency and major amputation. DES and DCB should be given priority in treating femoropopliteal lesions.

Parry-Romberg Syndrome and an Associated Complex Vascular Lesion Managed With Hybrid Strategies: A Case Report

BACKGROUND AND IMPORTANCE: Parry-Romberg syndrome (PRS) is a condition of unknown etiology, most commonly characterized by progressive facial hemi-atrophy due to breakdown of the underlying skin and soft tissues. PRS has been associated with neurologic disease such as intracranial aneurysms and vascular malformations. However, its exact role in the incidence of neurovascular disease remains unknown. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: We present a case of a complex fusiform aneurysm involving the A1 segment of the left anterior cerebral artery in a 21-year-old man with PRS. The patient initially presented with a left giant fusiform/dissecting internal carotid artery aneurysm initially managed with overlapping flow diverters. His post-flow diverter treatment course was confounded by progressive growth of the aneurysm with worsening mass effect on the optic chiasm leading to complete visual loss in the left eye and a right hemifield cut. To manage the aneurysm recurrence, retreatment with surgical bypass-supported carotid occlusion was performed. Thereafter, visual symptoms improved, but complete normalization of vision was not achieved. The patient remained clinically stable for several years until follow-up imaging demonstrated a novel adjacent recurrence involving the ipsilateral A1 segment, previously noted to be angiographically normal. The patient underwent superselective angiography followed by endovascular occlusion of the new fusiform lesion. DISCUSSION: The case presented here illustrates the hybrid roles of endovascular and surgical treatment modalities in treating complex vascular lesions. The recurrence of the lesion following initial treatment strategies introduces questions about how the nature and development of the lesion affected the success of treatment at each stage. Considerations for the efficacy of each stage of treatment in this case include the patients underlying connective tissue disorder, the pediatric etiology of the lesion, and the timing of each treatment option given these factors. CONCLUSION: In addition to understanding the biological behavior of flow diversion for complex intracranial aneurysms, the role of PRS in the incidence of neurovascular disease should also be considered when applicable. More research into the mechanisms of PRS in neurovascular disease is needed.

Treatment outcomes and the role of the DES scheme in the appropriate treatment selection for high-grade dural arteriovenous fistulas.

Endovascular and microsurgical treatment are viable options for the majority of Borden type III dural arteriovenous fistulas (dAVFs). The aim of this study was to examine treatment outcomes in a comparative analysis of endovascular and surgical treatment modalities for Borden type III fistulas and explore clinical implications of the DES scheme in selecting ideal candidates for surgical therapy. Patients diagnosed with dAVFs with leptomeningeal venous drainage admitted to the Departments of Neurosurgery or Neuroradiology of the University Hospital Zurich between January 2014 and October 2021 were included in this study. Comprehensive patient data including demographics, clinical presentation, and dAVF characteristics, including established classifications, were collected. Treatment outcomes were assessed based on postinterventional angiography findings. In addition, treatment-related complications were assessed based on the Clavien-Dindo classification. Among all Borden type III dAVFs, 15 were initially treated endovascularly (60% complete occlusion rate) and 10 with microsurgical disconnection (90% complete occlusion rate) (p = 0.18). Subgroup analysis of dAVFs meeting the criteria for directness and exclusivity based on the DES scheme showed a 100% complete occlusion rate after microsurgical disconnection, whereas embolization achieved a complete occlusion rate of 60% (p = 0.06). There was no significant difference in the rate or severity of treatment-related complications between treatment modalities. This study suggests that microsurgical disconnection is a viable primary treatment modality for Borden type III dAVFs, particularly for dAVFs that meet the criteria of directness and exclusivity according to the DES scheme. The DES scheme demonstrates its relevance in selecting the most appropriate treatment strategy for affected patients.

Endovascular Management of Pelvic Trauma: The Interventional Radiology Point of View

Background: Traumatic pelvic injuries are associated with high injury severity scores and significant morbidity and mortality. Active bleeding is the most common cause of death among those patients. Due to limitations of surgery for pelvic hematomas, angiographic treatment is at the forefront of pelvic trauma management.Objective: The present article aims to discuss the available endovascular treatment modalities, and common angiographic treatment strategies and techniques.Conclusion: Interventional radiologists plays a key role in the management of patients with pelvic trauma. New standardized protocols are needed to minimize the time spent on deciding the correct treatment for each patient.

Five-Year Outcomes of the SuperB Trial: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Heparin-Bonded Endograft to Surgical Femoropopliteal Bypass.

This study aims to compare the 5-year outcomes of endoluminal bypass (EB) using heparin-bonded self-expanding covered stents versus bypass surgery for extensive femoropopliteal disease, including technical and clinical outcomes and health status. The surgical femoropopliteal bypass was the gold standard to treat peripheral arterial disease (PAD) for decades; however, endovascular treatment modalities are now recommended for most femoropopliteal lesions. One-year data of a randomized controlled trial comparing EB with surgical bypass (SB) have shown a faster recovery, less morbidity, and comparable patency rates between the two techniques. To date, long-term randomized controlled data regarding both techniques are lacking. Five-year results of a multicenter randomized controlled trial comparing EB with SB in patients with femoropopliteal artery disease were evaluated based on intention-to-treat and per-protocol analyses. At 5-year follow-up, primary, primary-assisted, and secondary patency rates were 36.2%, 52.4%, and 68.1% for EB and 49.4%, 72.2%, and 77.8% for SB, respectively (p=0.608). Freedom from target lesion revascularization (fTLR) was 34.1% for EB and 57.6% for SB (p=0.365). In both groups, the ankle-brachial index, Rutherford classification, and walking distance significantly improved compared with baseline without differences between groups at follow-up. Freedom from major amputation rate was 92.6% in the EB group and 96.2% in the SB group (p=0.361). The 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey showed no significant differences between groups. Treatment of extensive femoropopliteal disease with self-expanding covered stents provides comparable clinical-related and health-related questionnaire outcomes when compared with SB through 5 years of follow-up. However, the EB is related to a higher number of reinterventions. This present study is the first to report five-year outcomes comparing an endoluminal (EB) using heparin-bonded self-expanding covered stents with surgical bypass (SB) for long and complex femoropopliteal disease. Although the advantages of treatment with EB are mostly seen in the early period after treatment, the outcomes support the use of EB for this indication and seems to be a valid and safe alternative for bypass surgery. Future trials comparing various endovascular strategies may provide further guidance for the development of an evidence-based treatment algorithm.

The Management of Intracranial Aneurysms: Current Trends and Future Directions.

Intracranial aneurysms represent a major global health burden. Rupture of an intracranial aneurysm is a catastrophic event. Without access to treatment, the fatality rate is 50% in the first 30 days. Over the last three decades, treatment approaches for intracranial aneurysms have changed dramatically. There have been improvements in the medical management of aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage, and there has been an evolution of treatment strategies. Endovascular therapy is now the mainstay of the treatment of ruptured intracranial aneurysms based on robust randomised controlled trial data. There is now an expansion of treatment indications for unruptured intracranial aneurysms to prevent rupture with both microsurgical clipping and endovascular treatment. Both microsurgical and endovascular treatment modalities have evolved, in particular with the introduction of innovative endovascular treatment options including flow diversion and intra-saccular flow disruption. These novel therapies allow clinicians to treat more complex and previously untreatable aneurysms. We aim to review the evolution of treatment strategies for intracranial aneurysms over time, and discuss emerging technologies that could further improve treatment safety and functional outcomes for patients with an intracranial aneurysm.

Endovascular Treatment Modalities for Basilar Artery Aneurysms

Endovascular Treatment Modalities for Basilar Artery Aneurysms

A Bayesian network meta-analysis for acute thrombosis after lower extremity artery endovascular treatment.

Various endovascular treatment devices have been widely used in the lower extremity arterial disease (LEAD). Their patency efficiency for target lesions has been well studied and reported. Comparison of the risk of acute thrombosis events between the different endovascular treatment devices is unclear. To rank the risk of acute thrombosis events when bare metal stents (BMSs), covered stents (CSs), drug-eluting stents (DESs), drug-coated balloons (DCBs), and conventional percutaneous transluminal balloon angioplasty (PTA) are used to treat LEAD through Bayesian network meta-analysis. We performed a network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials comparing the risk of 1-year postoperative acute thrombosis between BMSs, CSs, DESs, DCBs, and PTA for treating LEAD. Bayesian random models were used for pooled endovascular treatment modality comparisons. We ranked these treatment modalities via the Bayesian method according to their surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) and estimated probabilities. Nineteen studies (38 study arms; 2758 patients) were included. The Bayesian network ranking of treatments indicated that DCB had the lowest risk of acute thrombosis, PTA had the second-lowest risk of thrombosis, and CS, BMS, and DES had the highest risk of thrombosis. Regarding the treatment efficacy, the OR values of the loss of primary patency were significantly lower for DCB (OR = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.30-0.62), DES (OR = 0.36, 95% CI: 0.14-0.94), and CS (OR = 0.31, 95% CI: 0.18,0.56) than for PTA. When BMS was used as a reference, only the OR for CS was significantly lower (OR = 0.41, 95% CI = 0.21-0.82). Correspondingly, the Bayesian ranking of treatments from better to worse target lesion primary patency was CS, DES, DCB, BMS, and PTA. With the available research evidence and according to the network analysis ranking, DES appears to have the highest risk of acute thrombosis and DCB appears to have the lowest risk.

348 Risk of Rupture and Treatment Outcomes of Giant Pediatric Aneurysms: Multi-Institutional Case Series and Meta-Meta-Analysis

INTRODUCTION: Giant pediatric aneurysms are vascular malformations that can cause significant neurologic morbidity and mortality. Their rarity has precluded large cohort studies to inform their management. METHODS: Multi-institutional cohort study of cases from Boston Children’s Hospital (BCH) and the Barrow Neurologic Institute (BNI) along with systematic review and meta-analysis of previously reported cases. RESULTS: A total of 15 patients were included in the multi-institutional cohort, and an additional 88 patients were included from 14 series to yield 103 patients within the meta-analysis. Amongst the BCH patients, male sex was associated with giant size (OR .2; 95% CI 1.2-162.0).The most common aneurysm locations were in the MCA (38%), ICA (25%), vertebral artery (VA; 11%), and VBJ (8%). Within 69 reports containing radiographic data within the meta-analysis, 38% of aneurysms were saccular. Twenty-eight cases presented with rupture (28%). 0% of cavernous ICA aneurysms, 26% of other anterior circulation aneurysms, and 44% of posterior circulation aneurysms presented with rupture. Increasing age (OR 1.2; 95% CI 1.0-1.4) and saccular morphology (OR 5.3, 95% CI 1.5-18.9) were associated with presentation with rupture, while posterior location trended towards an association (OR 3.1, 95% CI 0.9-11.0). The majority of cases in the systematic review were treated (97%) rather than observed (3%). Endovascular and open treatments were utilized in 40 and 56% of cases. Survival was 97% for unruptured aneurysms and 82% for ruptured aneurysms. A favorable neurologic outcome occurred in 80% of unruptured cases and 54% of ruptured cases. Unruptured presentation (OR 3.7, 95% CI 1.3-11.1) and endovascular treatment modality were associated with a favorable outcome (OR 5.0; 95% CI 1.6-15.8). CONCLUSIONS: Giant pediatric aneurysms are unlikely to be discovered incidentally and often merit treatment. Increasing age and saccular morphology are r predict rupture, and should elevate the concern for semi-urgent treatment.

Endovascular Management of Hepatic Artery Pseudoaneurysms: A Case Series

Although rare, hepatic artery aneurysms are associated with a high morbidity and mortality, necessitating a prompt diagnosis. A significant proportion of hepatic artery aneurysms are pseudoaneurysms, and the major risk factors of which have already been identified in previous literatures. Presentation can be variable, but diagnosis almost relies entirely on computed tomography and digital subtraction angiography. The endovascular approach has progressively become the preferred option due to its better performance when compared to the traditional surgical approach. However, formulation of an endovascular treatment plan for these lesions remains difficult as multiple factors should be considered to identify the best endovascular treatment modality. Five cases of pseudoaneurysm due to recent Whipple operation, hepatobiliary infections, and underlying malignancy are presented in this article to illustrate the effectiveness and complexity of endovascular treatment in this disease entity.

Woven EndoBridge versus stent-assisted coil embolization of cerebral bifurcation aneurysms.

Stent-assisted coil (SAC) embolization has been the mainstay endovascular treatment for bifurcation aneurysms. The recent introduction of the Woven EndoBridge (WEB) device has presented an alternative endovascular treatment modality for these aneurysms. Direct comparisons of outcomes between these two modalities are limited in the literature. Here, the authors compared the outcomes of bifurcation aneurysms treated with SAC and WEB devices. This retrospective single-center study comprised 148 bifurcation aneurysms that were treated endovascularly with SAC or WEB devices between 2011 and 2019. The primary outcome was complete occlusion of the aneurysm at 6 months on catheter angiography. The SAC and WEB cohorts comprised 85 and 63 aneurysms, respectively. The baseline characteristics were well balanced after inverse probability weight (IPW) adjustment, except for smoking status. The 6-month complete occlusion rate was higher in the WEB cohort than the SAC cohort (67.4% vs 40.6%; unadjusted OR [95% CI] 3.014 [1.385-6.563], p = 0.005). However, this difference in complete occlusion rates did not remain significant after IPW adjustment and multiple imputations. The neck remnant rate was lower in the WEB cohort than the SAC cohort (20% vs 50%; OR [95% CI] 0.250 [0.107-0.584], p = 0.001), and this difference remained significant after IPW adjustment (OR [95% CI] 0.304 [0.116-0.795], p = 0.015) and multiple imputations. Use of SAC and WEB demonstrated comparable 6-month complete occlusion rates for bifurcation aneurysms. WEB appeared to be associated with a lower rate of neck remnant at 6 and 12 months compared with SAC. WEB was also associated with fewer complications and decreased retreatment rates compared with SAC.

Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting for vertebral artery stenosis.

Vertebral artery stenosis (narrowing of the vertebral artery) is an important cause of posterior circulation ischaemic stroke. Medical treatment (MT) e.g. controlling risk-factors and drug treatment, surgery, and endovascular treatment (ET) are the prevailing treatment strategies for symptomatic vertebral artery stenosis. ET consist s of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (balloon catheter through the skin), with or without stenting. However, optimal management of people with symptomatic vertebral artery stenosis has not yet been established. To assess the safety and efficacy of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, with or without stenting, combined with MT, compared to MT alone, in people with episodes of cerebral ischaemia due to vertebral artery stenosis. We searched the Cochrane Stroke Group, MEDLINE, Embase, BIOSIS, and two other indexes in Web of Science, China Biological Medicine Database, Chinese Science and Technique Journals Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure and Wanfang Data, as well as ClinicalTrials.gov trials register and the World Health Organization (WHO) International Clinical Trials Registry Platform to 23 July 2021. We included all randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that compared ET plus MT with MT alone in treating people aged 18 years or over with symptomatic vertebral artery stenosis. We included all types of ET modalities (e.g. angioplasty alone, balloon-mounted stenting, and angioplasty followed by placement of a self-expanding stent). MT included risk factor control, antiplatelet therapy, lipid-lowering therapy, and individualised management for people with hypertension or diabetes. Two review authors independently screened potentially eligible studies, extracted data, and assessed trial quality and risk of bias. We applied the GRADE approach to assess the certainty of evidence. The primary outcomes were 30-day post-randomisation death/stroke (short-term outcome) and fatal/non-fatal stroke after 30 days post-randomisation to completion of follow-up (long-term outcome). MAIN RESULTS: We included three RCTs with 349 participants with symptomatic vertebral artery stenosis with a mean age of 64.4 years. The included RCTs were at low risk of bias overall. However, all included studies had a high risk of performance bias because blinding of the ET was not feasible. There was no significant difference in 30-day post-randomisation deaths/strokes between ET plus MT and MT alone (risk ratio (RR) 2.33, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.77 to 7.07; 3 studies, 349 participants; low-certainty evidence). There were no significant differences between ET plus MT and MT alone in fatal/non-fatal strokes in the territory of the treated vertebral artery stenosis after 30 days post-randomisation to completion of follow-up (RR 0.51, 95% CI 0.26 to 1.01; 3 studies, 349 participants; moderate-certainty evidence), ischaemic or haemorrhagic stroke during the entire follow-up period (RR 0.77, 95% CI 0.44 to 1.32; 3 studies, 349 participants; moderate-certainty evidence), death during the entire follow-up period (RR 0.78, 95% CI 0.37 to 1.62; 3 studies, 349 participants; low-certainty evidence), and stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA) during the entire follow-up period (RR 0.65, 95% CI 0.39 to 1.06; 2 studies, 234 participants; moderate-certainty evidence). This Cochrane Review provides low- to moderate-certainty evidence indicating that there are no significant differences in either short- or long-term risks of stroke, death, or TIA between people with symptomatic vertebral artery stenosis treated with ET plus MT and those treated with MT alone.

Heart team approach for comprehensive management of aortic coarctation in the adult.

Aortic coarctation in the adult is usually associated with chronic systemic hypertension, which leads to the sequelae of congestive heart failure, vascular dysfunction and decreased lifespan. Open and endovascular treatment modalities both provide excellent procedural outcomes with minimal mortality and morbidity, but a structured algorithm for workup and periprocedural decision making is not well established. We outline our heart team decision making approach along with our institution's experience treating this condition. We retrospectively reviewed twenty-four consecutive adult patients treated for aortic coarctation since 2010 at a single center. Outcomes of interest included mortality, treatment approach, device used and post-procedure hypertension status. We describe our protocol for work-up and intervention decision making. We explain our rationale for recommending treatment and the approach, open or endovascular, using existing literature and our experience. Procedural success rate was 100%, and there were no 30-day, one-year or five-year mortalities, whether the approach was open or endovascular. At last contact, 32% of patients were normotensive and no longer taking blood pressure medications. Several patients presented with complex problems as a result of commonly described complications of prior open or endovascular repair, and we describe our approach to the management of these difficult cases. Even at a high-volume heart and vascular hospital, aortic coarctation is an uncommon presentation in adult patients. Our experience suggests that excellent outcomes are obtained by discussing each patient among a multidisciplinary heart team and developing a work-up and treatment protocol to guide selection of interventional modality.

Endovascular Treatment for Acute Basilar Artery Occlusion: A Comparison of Arteriosclerotic, Embolic and Tandem Lesions.

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of endovascular treatment (EVT) for patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) due to intracranial atherosclerosis-related basilar artery occlusion (ICAS-related BAO) by comparison with embolic and tandem occlusion. We retrospectively reviewed consecutive patients with AIS due to BAO who underwent EVT. Patients were assigned to the ICAS-related group and embolic group, and tandem group based on the etiology. Baseline data, procedural details, and clinical outcomes were compared between the three groups. A total of 100 patients (ICAS-related group: 31; embolic group: 41; tandem group: 28) were included. No significant difference was observed in the successful reperfusion (mTICI 2b or 3), but the procedural time differed significantly (60min vs. 43min vs. 60min, P = 0.010). There were no differences in the different intracranial hemorrhage grades among the three groups (P = 0.134). After adjusting for baseline differences, there was no significant difference in pairwise comparisons regarding favorable outcome (mRS 0-2), moderate outcome (mRS 0-3), and mortality. Endovascular treatment for patients with acute ICAS-related BAO had equal efficacy and safety compared with embolic BAO and tandem BAO. Primary endovascular treatment and rescue modalities were effective treatments for acute ICAS-related BAO.

Comparative effectiveness of endovascular treatment modalities for de novo femoropopliteal lesions in intermittent claudication: A network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

PurposeTo evaluate the most effective endovascular treatment modalities for de novo femoropopliteal lesions in intermittent claudication (IC) in terms of technical success, primary patency, target lesion revascularization (TLR) and all-cause mortality through network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. MethodsMedical databases were searched on December 3, 2020. 16 studies (3265 patients) and 7 treatments were selected. Outcomes were technical success, primary patency, TLR and mortality at 6 and/or 12 months. ResultsRegarding 6-month primary patency, drug-eluting stents (DES) was better than balloon angioplasty (BA; odds ratio [OR], 23.27; 95% confidence interval [CI], 12.57-43.06), drug-coated balloons (DCB; OR, 5.63; 95% CI, 2.26-14.03) and directional atherectomy (DA; OR, 31.52; 95% CI, 7.81-127.28), and bare nitinol stents (BNS) was better than BA (OR, 17.91; 95% CI, 7.22-44.48), DCB (OR, 4.33; 95% CI, 1.40-13.45) and DA (OR, 24.27; 95% CI, 5.16-114.11). Regarding 12-month primary patency, DES was better than BA (OR, 10.05; 95% CI, 4.56-22.16), DCB (OR, 3.70; 95% CI, 1.54-8.89) and DA (OR, 29.54; 95% CI, 7.26-120.26). DCB and combination of balloon and atherectomy were the most effective treatment regarding 12-month TLR and technical success (residual stenosis <30%), respectively. DES, BNS and DA with DCB (DA-DCB) were included in the best cluster in the clustered ranking plot combining 12-month primary patency and TLR. ConclusionsBalloon and atherectomy may confer advantages over other treatments for technical success; DCB may for TLR. Stent technologies confer substantial advantages regarding primary patency. Stent technologies and DA-DCB should be given priority in treating femoropopliteal lesions in IC.

Open Repair Is Superior to Endovascular Repair of Symptomatic Popliteal Artery Aneurysms

Endovascular and open surgical treatment modalities are currently used to manage popliteal artery aneurysms (PAA) with conflicting data on comparative durability of both repairs. We aimed to study the comparative effectiveness of endovascular PAA repair (EPAR) compared with open PAA repair (OPAR).

Endovascular treatment modalities for basilar artery fenestration aneurysms: experience of two centers and literature review

Background/aim The aim of this study is to present our experience on various endovascular treatment modalities of basilar fenestration aneurysms and reviewing our findings together with literature data.Materials and methods A total of 26 basilar artery fenestration (BAF) aneurysms in 24 patients were endovascularly treated in two different neurointerventional radiology clinics. All patients had been evaluated with computed tomography (CT), CT angiography, and digital subtraction angiography before the procedure. ResultsAneurysms of all patients were successfully occluded (technical success rate 100%). Procedure-related complications were seen in two patients. Our comprehensive literature research revealed that studies related with the topic are composed mostly of case reports. In the literature, a total of 113 BAF aneurysms of 101 patients had been treated endovascularly in 46 studies between 1993 and 2019. Success rate of the treatment was reported as 97%, clinical success rate as 91%, and complication rate as 8.8%, while these rates are 100%, 92%, and 7.6% in our study, respectively.ConclusionAlthough the number of cases is low in our study, to our knowledge, it is the widest series in the literature until today. Our results demonstrate that BAF aneurysms can be treated successfully and safely with different endovascular techniques, with more stent use in recent years.