Endovascular treatment of middle cerebral artery M2 occlusion strokes: Clinical and procedural predictors of outcomes

Abstract Patients with strokes from M2 segment middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion have been underrepresented in recent randomized trials of endovascular therapy. To better understand the clinical, imaging, and procedural predictors of successful recanalization and clinical outcomes in this population of patients. We performed a multicenter retrospective analysis of consecutive patients with acute MCA M2 segment occlusion who underwent thrombectomy with stent retrievers or primary aspiration thrombectomy (including A Direct Aspiration First Pass Technique approach). We correlated clinical and radiographic outcomes with demographic, clinical, and technical characteristics. One hundred and seventeen patients were included in analysis (median admission National Institutes of Health stroke scale [NIHSS] score 15, mean age 67.0 ± 14.5, 42% females). Good clinical outcome at 3 months (modified Rankin scale [mRS] ≤ 2) was achieved in 56% of patients. Treatment beyond 6 h of symptoms onset ( P = .69, OR 0.80, 95% CI 0.38-1.73) and age over 80 ( P = .47, OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.25-1.70) were not predictive of poor outcome. NIHSS > 15 was a strong predictor of clinical outcome, based on mRS distribution at 3 months ( P = .0085, OR 0.35, 95% CI 0.16-0.74). Direct aspiration and primary stent retriever thrombectomy approaches showed similar radiographic and clinical success rates. Advanced age and time to treatment beyond 6 h from symptom onset were not predictive of clinical outcome with thrombectomy. NIHSS score above 15 was a strong predictor of outcome. Direct aspiration and primary stent retriever thrombectomy showed similar efficacy.