title: Urgent endovascular treatment of acute symptomatic occlusion of the cervical internal carotid artery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The prognosis of patients with acute symptomatic cervical internal carotid artery (ICA) occlusion is generally considered to be poor. Traditionally, such patients are not considered eligible for urgent thrombolytic/endovascular treatment. Since 1998, an aggressive therapeutic approach with endovascular treatment has been adopted at the authors' institution. In this report they assess whether aggressive treatment of ICA occlusion is appropriate.
  
  
  METHODS
  The clinical characteristics and outcome of six consecutive patients treated urgently with an endovascular approach between 1998 and 2001 are reviewed and summarized. Recanalization was accomplished in all patients. At a mean follow-up period of 8 months (range 2-14 months), five of six patients had good or excellent outcomes (modified Rankin Scale [mRS] Score 0-1) and one had a poor outcome (mRS Score 4).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  With recent advancements in thrombolytic and endovascular treatments, an aggressive endovascular approach in patients with acute symptomatic cervical ICA occlusion may be successful. Further clinical data are required to determine the optimal endovascular approach in these patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Illinois Neurological Institute, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria, Illinois 61656, USA.
authors.forename: Huan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lanzino
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fraser
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tracy
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017130:Angioplasty; D002343:Carotid Artery, Internal / Q000601:surgery*; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy; D013997:Time Factors; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator