Abstract
Introduction:
There are a large number of studies in the literature reporting the clinical results of second generation stent retriever mechanical thrombectomy (MT) devices for acute ischemic stroke (AIS). A limited number of studies have been conducted with Aperio, another MT device that went into clinical use in recent years. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of Aperio in patients diagnosed with AIS and the factors affecting the success of recanalization.
Material method:
A total of 26 patients (18 females and 8 males) diagnosed with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) with a mean age of 63.92±13.88, who underwent MT with the Aperio (Acandis®,GmbH–Pforzheim, Germany) device in Neurology Clinic of Gaziantep University Medical Faculty between 2015-2017. The diseases of the patients, the onset of neurological symptoms, times to arrive the hospital, National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHHS) scores and catheterization times were recorded from the files of the patients retrospectively. From the scanned files, AIS patients who were intervened only with Aperio mechanical thrombectomy device were included in the study. The recanalization success after MT was defined as mTICI (modified Thrombolysis In Cerebral Infarction) 2b and 3 (ensuring recanalization more than 50%).
Results:
MCA M1 (57.7%) was the most common lesion in the angiographic imaging of the patients, and ICA was present in 23.1% of the patients. The blood flow was restored (mTICI 2b and 3) in 77% of the patients. The MT success was found to be correlated with the time from the onset of symptoms of the patients until the time when they were taken to the angiography laboratory (p=0.003). When the cut-off value from the onset of symptoms to the time when the patients were taken to angiography was taken as 5.5 hours, the sensitivity was found to be 90% and specificity to be 83.3% for a successful thrombectomy (AUC SE.: 0.879 (0.083), p<0.001).
Conclusion:
High rates of recanalization can be achieved with MT applied with the Aperio device early in appropriate patients. In particular, the time that passes until the patient is taken to angiography affects the success of recanalization. There is a need for more extensive, randomized and controlled studies in this area.

Key words: Aperio, mechanic thrombectomy, stent retriever, stroke