title: Efficacy and safety of an early Solitaire stent retrieval technique for acute ischemic stroke.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to retrospectively evaluate the efficacy and safety of early pull-back of a Solitaire stent as a thrombectomy device in patients with acute ischemic stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study group comprised 23 consecutive cases presenting with acute ischemic stroke who were treated with intra-arterial therapy using the Solitaire device as a first-line endovascular procedure. The stent was deployed to cover the thrombus and then left in place for 1-2 min. Immediate angiographic results are presented. Neurologic status was assessed according to the NIH Stroke Scale score (NIHSS) and the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Successful recanalization (TICI grade ≥ 2b) was achieved in 21 of the 23 (91.3 %) treated vessels, and 6 of the patients showed immediate flow restoration after the deployment of the first stent. The mean number of passes for maximal recanalization was 1.96. There were no symptomatic procedure-related complications. Of the cases, 34.8 % improved by >10 points on the NIHSS at discharge; 30.4 % of cases revealed good functional outcome (mRS score 0-2) at 90 days.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The early retrieval technique with the Solitaire stent appears to be a safe and effective method in patients with acute ischemic stroke.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Ilsan Paik Hospital, Inje University School of Medicine, 2240 Daehwa-dong, Ilsanseo-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, 411-706, Korea, hoonbeer@hanmail.net.
authors.forename: Byung Hoon
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yoon Joon
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Keun-Sik
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Yong-Jin
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Cho
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015901:Angiography, Digital Subtraction / Q000379:methods; D002548:Cerebral Revascularization / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D057510:Endovascular Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015607:Stents; D020521:Stroke / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D017131:Thrombectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome