RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Safety and efficacy of delayed intraarterial urokinase therapy with mechanical clot disruption for thromboembolic stroke.
JF American Journal of Neuroradiology
JO Am. J. Neuroradiol.
FD American Society of Neuroradiology
SP 1817
OP 1822
VO 15
IS 10
A1 Barnwell, S L
A1 Clark, W M
A1 Nguyen, T T
A1 O'Neill, O R
A1 Wynn, M L
A1 Coull, B M
YR 1994
UL http://www.ajnr.org/content/15/10/1817.abstract
AB PURPOSE To evaluate safety and efficacy of delayed intraarterial urokinase therapy with mechanical disruption of clot to treat thromboembolic stroke. METHODS Thirteen patients with cerebral thrombolic disease (10 carotid territory, 3 basilar territory) were treated with catheter-directed intraarterial urokinase therapy with mechanical disruption of the clots. All patients were excluded from a 6-hour multicenter thrombolytic trial by either time, recent surgery, age, seizure, or myocardial infarction. Time elapsed before treatment ranged from 3.5 to 48 hours (12 +/- 13 hours), with 200,000 to 900,000 U of urokinase used. RESULTS Ten patients had successful vessel recanalization, confirmed by repeat angiography. Cases with distal branch vessel occlusions were less likely to recanalize. Asymptomatic hemorrhagic conversion occurred in 2 patients on repeat scans. Both acute neurologic and functional outcomes were assessed with significant improvement occurring in 9 (69%) of 13 patients at 48 hours (greater than four-point change on the National Institutes of Health scale) and in 100% of 3-month survivors. All patients who improved had normal initial CT scans. CONCLUSIONS Intraarterial cerebral thrombolysis with mechanical disruption of clot seems to be a useful therapy in selected stroke cases even after 6 hours.