Acute Stroke Interventions Performed by Cardiologists: Initial Experience in a Single Center

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Neurology
• Interventional Radiology

Background:

• Dedicated interventional stroke centers are scarce.
• Interventional cardiology infrastructure can facilitate rapid, 24/7 stroke intervention.
• Leveraging existing catheterization labs can improve access to acute stroke treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the technical and clinical success of acute stroke interventions.
• To evaluate the role of interventional cardiology centers in stroke treatment.
• To determine the feasibility of rapid stroke intervention in a cardiology setting.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 70 consecutive acute stroke interventions for large-vessel occlusions (July 2012-July 2018).
• Evaluation of procedural times, recanalization rates, and complication data.
• Assessment of 30-day mortality and 3-month functional outcomes using modified Rankin Scale.

Main Results:

• Technical recanalization success (TICI 2b/3) was achieved in 93% of patients.
• Mean door-to-vascular access time was 64 minutes; mean time to lesion crossing was 26 minutes.
• Favorable clinical outcome (mRS 0-2) at 3 months was 61%, with 30-day mortality at 18%.

Conclusions:

• Interventional cardiologists can safely perform acute stroke interventions.
• High technical and clinical success rates are achievable in a cardiology center.
• Cardiology networks offer a viable solution for improving rapid access to stroke intervention.