Prognostic Factors for Neurologic Outcome after Endovascular Revascularization of Acute Symptomatic Occlusion of the Internal Carotid Artery

Management of acute symptomatic internal carotid artery (ICA) occlusion remains controversial. We evaluated outcome predictors of a good recovery in patients with acute symptomatic ICA occlusion. We retrospectively evaluated 33 consecutive patients (men/women, 23/10; mean age, 66 years) with: 1) acute symptomatic ICA occlusion within 6 hours of symptom onset or with mismatch of symptoms and an early infarct area, 2) National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score of 6 or more, and 3) attempted endovascular revascularization of the occluded ICA. Various single and multiple variable analyses were conducted to assess the association of 14 predictors with short-term (1-month NIHSS) and long-term (1-year modified Rankin Scale [mRS]) outcomes. Successful recanalization (at or more than grade 2 distal residual occlusion) was obtained in 14 (42%) of 33 and good recovery (mRS