Article Text

Download PDFPDF
Case series
Initial experience using the 3MAX cerebral reperfusion catheter in the endovascular treatment of acute ischemic stroke of distal arteries
  1. Pedro Navia1,
  2. Jose-Angel Larrea1,
  3. Edurne Pardo1,
  4. Ana Arce2,
  5. Maite Martínez-Zabaleta2,
  6. Noemí Díez-González2,
  7. Eduardo Murias3,
  8. Luis-Alfonso Arráez-Aybar4,
  9. Javier Massó1
    1. 1Department of Radiology-Neuroradiology, Hospital Universitario Donostia, San Sebastián, Spain
    2. 2Department of Neurology, Hospital Universitario Donostia, San Sebastián, Spain
    3. 3Department of Radiology-Neuroradiology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
    4. 4Faculty of Medicine, Department of Human Anatomy and Embryology, Madrid Complutense University, Madrid, Spain
    1. Correspondence to Dr Pedro Navia, Interventional Neuroradiology, Department of Radiology, Hospital Universitario Donostia, Doctor Beguiristain 117, San Sebastián, Guipúzcoa 20080, Spain; pnavia1{at}gmail.com

    Abstract

    Introduction The advancement of technology has allowed the development of new catheters that may provide safe intracranial navigation.

    Objective To report our first experience with the direct aspiration first pass technique in small arteries as the primary method for recanalization with the Penumbra 3MAX cerebral reperfusion catheter.

    Methods A retrospective case series analysis study of patients with acute ischemic stroke endovascularly treated with the direct aspiration technique using the 3MAX reperfusion catheter in our hospital in the past year.

    Results We treated six patients in our hospital for acute ischemic stroke using the 3MAX aspiration catheter as first choice. The patients had a median National Institutes of Health Strokes Scale (NIHSS) score of 12 (range 10–17) at admission, with occlusions of an M2 segment of a middle cerebral artery (MCA) treated through an anterior communicating artery, pericallosal artery, P2 artery, and M2-MCA and M3-MCA arteries. Recanalization (TICI 2b–3) was achieved in all cases and no complications occurred. It was not necessary to combine treatment with a stent retriever in any of the patients. All the patients showed early neurological improvement. The median NIHSS score at discharge was 1 (0–3) and 5/6 (83%) patients had a modified Rankin Scale score 0–2 at discharge.

    Conclusions Our initial experience suggests that treatment of distal cerebrovascular occlusions with the 3MAX catheter is feasible. We achieved complete recanalization in all cases without unexpected complications while obtaining good clinical results. However, larger studies are necessary to establish its benefits and its safety.

    • Thrombectomy
    • Stroke
    • Catheter
    • Technique

    Statistics from Altmetric.com

    Request Permissions

    If you wish to reuse any or all of this article please use the link below which will take you to the Copyright Clearance Center’s RightsLink service. You will be able to get a quick price and instant permission to reuse the content in many different ways.