Abstract
Background and Purpose:
Hemicraniectomy is carefully selected for patients with acute ischemic stroke in whom endovascular treatment has failed to prevent adverse outcomes of large hemispheric stroke. We evaluated trends in the utilization of hemicraniectomy in patients who underwent endovascular therapy according to the availability of three generations of thrombectomy devices and analyzed the associated rates of death and disability among them over a nine year period.
Methods:
We obtained data for patients admitted to hospitals in the United States from 2004 to 2012 with a primary diagnosis of ischemic stroke using a large national database. We determined the rate and pattern of hemicraniectomy utilization, and associated in-hospital outcomes of endovascular treatment among ischemic stroke patients. Outcomes were compared between three time periods: 2004-2006 (post MERCI), 2007-2009 (post Penumbra) and 2010-2012 (post Solitaire stent retriever) approvals.
Results:
Of the 6,021,636 patients admitted with ischemic stroke, 28,956 (0.48%) underwent endovascular treatment. Of the patients who underwent endovascular therapy, 2,219 (7.6%) required subsequent hemicraniectomy. There was a 7 fold decrease in the utilization of hemicraniectomy in these patients between 2004 and 2009 (25.6% in 2004 vs. 3.5% in 2009, p < 0.001) with a yearly trend towards decreased utilization of hemicraniectomy [OR 0.7, 95% CI 0.6- 0.8, p <.0001].
In multivariate logistic regression analysis there was a reduction in the rate of in hospital mortality of the 2007-2009 and the 2010-2012 groups when compared to the 2004-2006 interval group (2007-2009, odds ratio (OR) 0.9, 95% confidence interval (CI) (0.7- 1.2) and 2010-2012, [OR 0.9, 95%CI 0.7- 1.1]). The rate of moderate to severe disability increased for patients treated during 2007-2009 and 2010-2012.
Conclusion:
In the last 9 years there has been a significant decrease in the utilization of hemicraniectomy in acute ischemic stroke patients who underwent endovascular treatment. Despite reduction in use of hemicraniectomy, the mortality rate in endovascularly treated patients have shown a reduction, but there was an increase in rate of moderate to severe disability.