Direct Percutaneous Transluminal Angioplasty for Acute Middle Cerebral Artery Trunk Occlusion

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Background and Purpose— The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of direct percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) for patients with acute middle cerebral artery (MCA) trunk occlusion. Methods— Over the past 9 years, a total of 70 patients with acute MCA trunk occlusion were treated with intra-arterial reperfusion therapy. In the last 5 years, 34 patients were treated with direct PTA, and subsequent thrombolytic therapy was added if necessary for distal embolization. The other 36 patients, mainly in the first 4 years, were treated with thrombolytic therapy alone and were used as controls. Pretherapeutic neurological status was evaluated with National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale scores. The modified Rankin Scale (mRS) was used to assess clinical outcome at 90 days. Results— There were no significant differences in pretherapeutic National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score and duration of ischemia between the 2 groups. The rate of partial or complete recanalization in...