Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore the role of the vessel diameter at the site of middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion in acute ischemic stroke patients who underwent mechanical thrombectomy (MT) regarding technical aspects, safety, and clinical outcomes.
Methods: In a retrospective analysis, cerebral artery diameters were measured using digital subtraction angiography in patients with isolated M1 or M2 occlusions undergoing MT. Associations between occluded vessel, occlusion diameter and outcomes were analyzed using logistic regression models adjusting for prespecified prognostic factors.
Results: 168 patients with M1 occlusions and 98 patients with M2 occlusions who underwent MT were included. Mean vessel diameters at M1 and M2 occlusion sites differed significantly (2.15 +/- .36 1.55 +/- .38, P < .001). Vessel diameters at the occlusion site and occluded vessel segment did not predict good functional outcome (aOR 1.2 CI .28-5.26, P = .659; aOR .84 CI .35-2.03, P = .841) or mortality (aOR .21 CI .04-1.01, P = .215; aOR 1.36 CI .55-3.37, P = .676). No significant differences in successful recanalization, good functional outcome, mortality, procedural complications, and intracranial hemorrhages between M1 and M2 occlusions was observed.
Conclusions: In this study no significant effect of the MCA vessel diameter on successful recanalization, good functional outcome, or mortality of acute ischemic stroke patients treated with MT could be detected. However, these findings need to be confirmed in further studies.
Keywords: Acute stroke; mortality; outcomes; thrombectomy; vessel diameter.
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