Hybrid surgery versus endovascular intervention for patients with chronic internal carotid artery occlusion: A single-center retrospective study

Endovascular recanalization of subacute or chronic symptomatic occlusion of the internal carotid artery ophthalmic segment

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the safety and effect of endovascular recanalization for subacute or chronic occlusion of the internal carotid artery (ICA) ophthalmic segment and risk factors for the prognosis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

135 patients with subacute or chronic occlusion of the ICA ophthalmic segment were retrospectively enrolled to undergo endovascular recanalization, with the clinical, imaging and follow-up data being analyzed.

RESULTS

Among 135 patients with ICA ophthalmic segment occlusion, hypertension was presented in 72 (53.3 %) patients, diabetes mellitus in 44 (32.6 %), coronary heart disease in 12 (8.9 %), smoking in 51 (37.8 %), and alcohol abuse in 38 (28.1 %). Endovascular recanalization was performed in all patients, and recanalization was successful in 130 (96.3 %). Five patients (3.7 %) were not recanalized because of intraprocedural complications. Periprocedural complications occurred in 16 patients, resulting in a total complication rate of 11.9 %. The mRS (modified Rankin Scale score) was 1.45 ± 0.03 after recanalization, significantly (P < 0.001) better than that (2.25 ± 0.12) before recanalization. The NIHSS (National Institute of Health Stroke Scale) was 11.91 ± 0.67, significantly (P < 0.0001) better than that (18.45 ± 1.33) before recanalization. Eighty-nine (65.9 %) patients underwent angiography at follow-up 6-86 (mean 48) months after recanalization, which demonstrated good prognosis in 72 (80.9 %) patients and poor prognosis in the other 17 (19.1 %) with instent restenosis > 50 %. Telephone follow-up was conducted in 46 (34.1 %) patients 6-38 (mean 27) months after recanalization, which revealed good prognosis in 38 (82.6 %) patients and poor prognosis in 8 (17.4 %). In total, good prognosis was present in 110 (81.5 %) patients while poor prognosis in 25 (18.5 %). In angiographic follow-up, instent restenosis > 50 % was present in nine (10.1 %) patients. Univariate analysis showed age (OR = 1.82), hypertension (OR = 2.38), diabetes mellitus (OR = 1.84), and alcohol abuse (OR = 1.49) were significant (P < 0.05) risk factors, whereas multivariate analysis demonstrated that only hypertension (OR = 1.54) and diabetes mellitus (OR = 2.67) were significant (P < 0.05) independent risk factors to affect the prognosis of recanalization.

CONCLUSION

Subacute or chronic occlusion of the internal carotid artery ophthalmic segment can be safely and efficiently recanalized using endovascular skills, and hypertension and diabetes mellitus are the independent risk factors for the prognosis of endovascular recanalization.

Comprehensive multi-omics, behavioral and morphological analysis of the hazards of nano-plastics in mice with internal carotid artery occlusion

Accumulation of nanoplastics (NPs) poses a severe threat to the homeostasis of the internal environment in patients with chronic diseases. The effects of NP contamination on health in chronically ill populations must urgently be elucidated. In this study, NPs injected via the tail vein were distributed in the brain and internal organs in a mouse model of chronic internal carotid occlusion. Mice with chronic internal carotid artery occlusion exposed to NPs showed behavioral abnormalities, such as depression and anxiety, thus indicating detrimental effects of NPs on the brain. Subsequently, we used proteomics and metabolomics to analyze the specific mechanisms underlying the damaging effects of NP deposition in the brain. The findings helped explain the differences in the underlying biochemical responses at the microscopic level in mice after NP exposure. The NPs not only accumulated in the brain and caused pathologic damage, but also contributed to accelerating atherosclerosis in the mouse model of internal carotid artery occlusion. This work confirms the risk of NPs in a model of internal carotid artery occlusion and elucidates the mechanism underlying this harm; moreover, it provides theoretical support for developing strategies to decrease microplastic intake in patients with internal carotid artery occlusion.

Significance of atherosclerotic plaque location in recanalizing non-acute long-segment occlusion of the internal carotid artery

To investigate the significance of atherosclerotic plaque location in hybrid surgery comprising both endovascular recanalization approaches and carotid endarterectomy for symptomatic atherosclerotic non-acute long-segment occlusion of the internal carotid artery (ICA), 162 patients were enrolled, including 120 (74.1%) patients in the proximal plaque group and 42 (25.9%) in the distal plaque group. Surgical recanalization was performed in all patients, with successful recanalization in 119 (99.2%) patients in the proximal and 39 (92.9%) in the distal plaque group. The total successful recanalization rate was 97.5% (158/162) with a failure rate of 2.5% (4/162). Periprocedural complications occurred in 5 (4.2% or 5/120) patients in the proximal plaque group, including neck infection in two (1.7%), recurrent nerve injury in 1 (0.8%), and laryngeal edema in 2 (1.7%), and 2 (4.8%) in the distal plaque group, including femoral puncture infection in 2 (4.8%). No severe complications occurred in either group. Univariate analysis showed plaque location was a significant (P = 0.018) risk factor for successful recanalization, and multivariate analysis indicated that the plaque location remained a significant independent risk factor for recanalization success (P = 0.017). In follow-up 6-48 months after the recanalization surgery, reocclusion occurred in two (2.8%) patients in the proximal plaque group and 4 (13.3%) in the distal plaque group. In conclusion, although hybrid surgery achieves similar outcomes in patients with ICA occlusion caused by either proximal or distal atherosclerotic plaques, plaque location may be a significant risk factor for successful recanalization of symptomatic non-acute long-segment ICA occlusion.

Safety and Efficacy of Hybrid Surgery in Chronic Internal Carotid Artery Occlusion: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

INTRODUCTION

Chronic internal carotid artery occlusion (CICAO) is a common cause of stroke and ischemia recurrence. An increasing number of reports have highlighted the potential of hybrid surgery for treating CICAO. There are few studies, specifically nonrandomized controlled trials, on the safety and effectiveness of hybrid surgery for the treatment of CICAO, so in this study, we hypothesized that hybrid surgery would be safe, have an acceptable complication rate and a high success rate.

METHODS

MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases were searched for relevant studies published up to January 30, 2023. The primary endpoint was recanalization rates of occluded vessels, and the secondary endpoint was perioperative death and procedure-related complications. Subgroup analysis focused on the recanalization rates of endovascular intervention (EI) and hybrid surgery, as well as the rates of recanalization below the clinoid segment and at the clinoid segment and beyond. The follow-up visit was conducted at least 3 months after surgery, and stenosis or occlusion recurrence was confirmed by review of CTA or DSA scan.

RESULTS

The databases were searched and 1,709 records were identified, of which 16 articles were used in the meta-analysis, and 464 CICAO patients with complete data who underwent hybrid surgery were enrolled. Hybrid surgery was associated with higher success rates (RD = 0.87, 95% CI [0.84-0.91], p < 0.00001) than EI (OR = 4.71, 95% CI [2.32-9.56], p < 0.0001). The procedural success rate in the below-clinoid segment group was significantly higher than that in the clinoid segment and beyond group (OR = 13.76, 95% CI [5.31-35.66], p < 0.00001). The total periprocedural complication rate was low (RD = 0.11, 95% CI [0.07-0.15], p < 0.00001 and RD = 0.04, 95% CI [0.00-0.07], p = 0.03). Target vessel restenosis or reocclusion occurred in 35 patients (8%) during the follow-up period (RD = 0.08, 95% CI [0.04-0.12], p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSION

Hybrid surgery is the combination of the advantages of open surgery and EI, has a high success rate and a low risk of recurrence of stenosis and occlusion in the long term. Randomized controlled trials on hybrid surgery for internal carotid artery occlusion are necessary.

Recanalization of chronic long-segment occlusion of the internal carotid artery with endovascular and hybrid surgery

To investigate the effect of endovascular and/or hybrid surgical recanalization on chronic long-segment occlusion of the internal carotid artery (ICA) and the effect of occlusion location on the recanalization rate and prognosis, 87 patients with chronic ICA occlusion treated with endovascular approach only or hybrid surgery were retrospectively enrolled. The duration of ICA occlusion ranged from 21 to 360 days (median 30). Type I occlusion (from the neck to below the cavernous segment) consisted of 46 (52.8%) patients while type II (from the neck to above the clinoid segment) of 41 (47.1%). Hybrid surgery was performed in 44 (50.6%) patients while endovascular recanalization only was conducted in the other 43 (49.4%). In all patients, the success rate of recanalization was 93.0% (40/43) for the endovascular approach and 95.5% for the hybrid surgical approach. In patients with type I occlusion, endovascular recanalization only was performed in 22 (47.8%) patients and hybrid surgery in 24 (52.2%), resulting in successful recanalization in all patients (100%). In patients with type II occlusion, the success rate of recanalization was 85.7% (18/21) for the endovascular approach only but 90% (18/20) for the hybrid surgery. The total success rate of recanalization was 94.3% (82/87) for all patients, 100% for type I occlusion, and 87.8% for type II occlusion. No significant (P = 0.12) differences existed in the recanalization rate between groups I and II. Clinical follow-up was performed in 82 (94.3%) patients 6-39 months (mean 16) after the surgery. Re-occlusion occurred in 0 in group I but in four (9.8%) in group II. The mRS was good with 0-2 in 38 (82.6%) patients in group I and in 27 (75%) patients in group II, with no significant (P = 0.78) difference. In conclusion, chronic long-segment ICA occlusion can be safely and efficiently recanalized with the endovascular and hybrid surgery. The location of ICA occlusion may have a critical role in determining the recanalization rate, and careful evaluation of the occlusion location may be helpful in increasing the prognosis of recanalization.