BACKGROUND:Hemodynamic factors play important roles in aneurysm recurrence after endovascular treatment. OBJECTIVE:Predicting the risk of recurrence by hemodynamic analysis using an untreated aneurysm model is important because such prediction is required before treatment. METHODS:We retrospectively analyzed hemodynamic factors associated with aneurysm recurrence from pretreatment models of five recurrent and five stable posterior communicating artery (Pcom) aneurysms with no significant differences in aneurysm volume, coil packing density, or sizes of the dome, neck, or Pcom. Hemodynamic factors of velocity ratio, flow rate, pressure ratio, and wall shear stress were investigated. RESULTS:Among the hemodynamic factors investigated, velocity ratio and flow rate of the Pcom showed significant differences between the recurrence group and stable group (0.630 ± 0.062 and 0.926 ± 0.051, P= 0.016; 56.4 ± 8.9 and 121.6 ± 6.7, P= 0.008, respectively). CONCLUSIONS:Our results suggest that hemodynamic factors may be associated with aneurysm recurrence among Pcom aneurysms. Velocity and flow rate in the Pcom may be a pretreatment prognostic factor for aneurysm recurrence after endovascular treatment.

BACKGROUND: Hemodynamic factors play important roles in aneurysm recurrence after endovascular treatment. OBJECTIVE: Predicting the risk of recurrence by hemodynamic analysis using an untreated aneurysm model is important because such prediction is required before treatment. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed hemodynamic factors associated with aneurysm recurrence from pretreatment models of five recurrent and five stable posterior communicating artery (Pcom) aneurysms with no significant differences in aneurysm volume, coil packing density, or sizes of the dome, neck, or Pcom. Hemodynamic factors of velocity ratio, flow rate, pressure ratio, and wall shear stress were investigated. RESULTS: Among the hemodynamic factors investigated, velocity ratio and flow rate of the Pcom showed significant differences between the recurrence group and stable group (0.630 ± 0.062 and 0.926 ± 0.051, P= 0.016; 56.4 ± 8.9 and 121.6 ± 6.7, P= 0.008, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that hemodynamic factors may be associated with aneurysm recurrence among Pcom aneurysms. Velocity and flow rate in the Pcom may be a pretreatment prognostic factor for aneurysm recurrence after endovascular treatment.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Precise stent deployment is important for successful treatment of intracranial aneurysms by stent-assisted coiling (SAC). We evaluated the accuracy of virtual stents generated using commercial stent planning software by comparing the length of virtual and actually deployed intracranial laser cut stents on three-dimensional digital subtraction angiography (3D-DSA) images. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the data of 75 consecutive cases of intracranial wide-necked aneurysms treated with the SAC technique using laser cut stents. Based on 3D-DSA images acquired by C-arm CT, stent sizing and placement were intraoperatively simulated by a commercial software application. The difference in length of the stents was estimated by measuring proximal discrepancies between the end points of the virtual and actually deployed stents on fused pre-procedural and post-procedural 3D-DSA images. Discrepancies between distal stent end points were manually minimized. The Kruskal-Wallis test was applied to test whether stent location, type, and length had an effect on difference in length between virtual and real stent. RESULTS: The median difference in length between virtual and real stents was 1.58 mm with interquartile range 1.12-2.12 mm. There was no evidence for an effect of stent location (p = 0.23), stent type (p = 0.33), or stent length (p = 0.53) on difference in length between virtual and real stents. CONCLUSIONS: Stent planning software allows 3D simulation of laser cut stents overlain on 3D-DSA images of vessels and may thus be useful for stent selection and deployment of laser cut stents during stent-assisted coiling of intracranial aneurysms.

The authors report on the histologic and immunohistochemical analyses of a cerebral aneurysm embolized with platinum coils and with the longest observation period. A 58-year-old woman presenting with subarachnoid hemorrhage due to ruptured basilar top aneurysm was treated with Guglielmi detachable coils (GDC) 22 years ago. She was the 15th case since the GDC was introduced. After she died of unrelated causes, an autopsy and thorough histologic examination were performed. Gross examination revealed no adhesion between the aneurysm wall and the surrounding brain tissue. Histologic and immunohistochemical analyses demonstrated that the cavity of the aneurysm was filled with homogeneous collagenous fibrous tissue, while the neck was completely covered by a dense collagenous neointima and a smooth muscle cell layer. The unique histologic results of this case may contribute to a better understanding of the long-term evolution of the healing process in intracranial aneurysms successfully treated with the GDC.

Background and purpose

Precise stent deployment is important for successful treatment of intracranial aneurysms by stent-assisted coiling (SAC). We evaluated the accuracy of virtual stents generated using commercial stent planning software by comparing the length of virtual and actually deployed intracranial laser cut stents on three-dimensional digital subtraction angiography (3D-DSA) images.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed the data of 75 consecutive cases of intracranial wide-necked aneurysms treated with the SAC technique using laser cut stents. Based on 3D-DSA images acquired by C-arm CT, stent sizing and placement were intraoperatively simulated by a commercial software application. The difference in length of the stents was estimated by measuring proximal discrepancies between the end points of the virtual and actually deployed stents on fused pre-procedural and post-procedural 3D-DSA images. Discrepancies between distal stent end points were manually minimized. The Kruskal-Wallis test was applied to test whether stent location, type, and length had an effect on difference in length between virtual and real stent.

Results

The median difference in length between virtual and real stents was 1.58 mm with interquartile range 1.12-2.12 mm. There was no evidence for an effect of stent location (p = 0.23), stent type (p = 0.33), or stent length (p = 0.53) on difference in length between virtual and real stents.

Conclusions

Stent planning software allows 3D simulation of laser cut stents overlain on 3D-DSA images of vessels and may thus be useful for stent selection and deployment of laser cut stents during stent-assisted coiling of intracranial aneurysms.

Since smartphone applications are revolutionizing telemedicine, a new application specifically for stroke care (JOIN) was designed. Addition of the JOIN smartphone application to the stroke treatment workflow in our hospital was assessed. JOIN has key functions that may improve the care of stroke patients, including the ability to (1) exchange information such as patient data and medical images in real-time throughout the entire process of patient management; (2) track each step of the protocol from door to discharge; and (3) facilitate real-time interaction of all team members via text, audio, and a video chat system. Two periods, 2.7 years before the implementation of JOIN (Pre-JOIN) with 37 patients and 2.2 years after (Post-JOIN) with 54 patients, were compared, and the workflow for all 91 patients who had a cerebral infarction and were treated with tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and/or thrombectomy between October 2012 and July 2017 was reviewed. There were noticeable reductions in overall patient management time, including times for door-to-imaging, starting tPA treatment, and endovascular intervention with JOIN. Staff members were unanimously satisfied with JOIN, due to the increased efficiency of information exchange and the ability for real-time discussions with different professionals when needed. No significant changes in patient outcomes (as assessed by modified Rankin Scale [mRS] scores) at 3 months and in the total cost for the treatment were observed. A smartphone-based application with the capability of sharing information instantaneously among healthcare professionals facilitated time-sensitive, acute care of ischemic stroke patients.