title: Treatment of cerebral vasospasm with self-expandable retrievable stents: proof of concept.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report our preliminary experience with the use of stent retrievers to cause vasodilation in patients with delayed cerebral vasospasm secondary to subarachnoid hemorrhage.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four patients from two different high volume neurointerventional centers developed cerebral vasospasm following subarachnoid hemorrhage. In addition to standard techniques for the treatment of cerebral vasospasm, we used commercially available stent retrievers (Solitaire and Capture stent retrievers) to treat the vasospastic segment including M2, M1, A2, and A1. We evaluated the safety of this technique, degree of vasodilation, and longevity of the effect.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Stent retrievers can be used to safely achieve cerebral vasodilation in the setting of delayed cerebral vasospasm. The effect is long-lasting (>24 hours) and, in our initial experience, carries a low morbidity. We have not experienced any complications using this technique although we have noted that the radial force was not sufficient to cause vasodilation in some instances. The vasospasm did not return in the vessel segments treated with stent angioplasty in any of these cases. In two of our cases stent angioplasty resulted in the reversal of focal neurological symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Stent retrievers can provide long-lasting cerebral vasodilation in patients with delayed cerebral vasospasm.
authors.affiliation: The Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Pervinder
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bhogal
authors.affiliation: Uniformed Services University, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA.|Swedish Neuroscience Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA.
authors.forename: Yince
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Loh
authors.affiliation: The Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brouwer
authors.affiliation: The Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Tommy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.affiliation: The Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Söderman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017130:Angioplasty / Q000379:methods; D002533:Cerebral Angiography / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D015607:Stents; D013345:Subarachnoid Hemorrhage / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D020301:Vasospasm, Intracranial / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*
keywords: Aneurysm; Stent; Stroke; Subarachnoid