title: Intra-arterial revascularisation therapy for acute ischaemic stroke: initial experience in a Hong Kong hospital.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the outcome of acute ischaemic stroke patients who received intra-arterial therapy in our unit.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case series.
  
  
  METHODS
  A tertiary hospital in Hong Kong.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with ischaemic stroke due to large artery occlusion treated within 6 hours from symptom onset between January 2007 and May 2011.
  
  
  METHODS
  Acute intra-arterial revascularisation therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Primary outcome was functional independence (modified Rankin Scale score of ≤ 2) at 3 months. Secondary outcome was rate of recanalisation. Safety outcomes were symptomatic intracranial haemorrhage and 3-month mortality.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-one patients with a mean age of 67 years fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Their mean National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score was 18. The mean onset-to-puncture time was 212 minutes. Nine received intra-arterial tissue plasminogen activator alone, 11 had an adjunctive mechanical thrombectomy, and one received balloon angioplasty without tissue plasminogen activator. At the end of the procedure, thrombolysis grade 2a or better was attained in 18 (86%) of the patients, and 8 (38%) achieved functional independence at 3 months. Rates of symptomatic intracranial haemorrhage and 3-month mortality were 10% and 24%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this setting, intra-arterial revascularisation therapy appeared safe and efficacious for this selected group of ischaemic stroke patients with large artery occlusions. Experience gained from this pilot study may help improve clinical outcomes of such patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, Hong Kong. dr_eddiewong@yahoo.com.hk
authors.forename: Edward H C
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Simon C H
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Alexander Y L
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: Venus S W
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Hui
authors.forename: Cecilia S F
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.forename: Joyce W Y
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Hui
authors.forename: Deyond Y W
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Siu
authors.forename: Jill M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Abrigo
authors.forename: K T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Colin A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Graham
authors.forename: Lawrence K S
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Thomas W H
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Leung
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000800:Angioplasty, Balloon / Q000379:methods; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004638:Emergency Treatment; D057510:Endovascular Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006723:Hong Kong; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy*; D015996:Survival Rate; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D017131:Thrombectomy / Q000379:methods; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator
keywords: Brain ischemia; Magnetic resonance angiography; Stroke; Tissue plasminogen activator; Treatment outcome