Endovascular treatment of acute ischemic stroke patients with tandem lesions: antegrade versus retrograde approach

OBJECTIVE The optimal technique for treating tandem lesions (TLs) with endovascular therapy is debatable. The authors evaluated the functional, safety, and procedural outcomes of different approaches in a multicenter study. METHODS Anterior circulation TL patients treated from January 2015 to December 2020 were divided on the basis of antegrade versus retrograde approach and included. The evaluated outcomes were favorable modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score (mRS score 0–2) at 3 months, ordinal shift in mRS score, successful recanalization, excellent recanalization, first-pass effect (FPE), time from groin puncture to successful recanalization, symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH), and 90-day mortality. RESULTS Among 691 patients treated at 16 centers, 286 patients (174 antegrade and 112 retrograde approach patients) with acute stenting were included in the final analysis. There were no significant differences in mRS score 0–2 at 90 days (52.2% vs 50.0%, adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.83, 95% CI 0.42–1.56, p = 0.54), favorable shift in 90-day mRS score (aOR 1.03, 95% CI 0.66–1.29, p = 0.11), sICH (4.0% vs 4.5%, aOR 0.64, 95% CI 0.24–1.51, p = 0.45), successful recanalization (89.4% vs 93%, aOR 0.49, 95% CI 0.19–1.28, p = 0.19), excellent recanalization (51.4% vs 58.9%, aOR 0.59, 95% CI 0.40–1.07, p = 0.09), FPE (58.3% vs 69.7%, aOR 0.62, 95% CI 0.44–1.15, p = 0.21), and mortality at 90 days (16.6% vs 14.0%, aOR 0.94, 95% CI 0.35–2.44, p = 0.81) between the groups. The median (interquartile range) groin puncture to recanalization time was significantly longer in the antegrade group (59 [43–90] minutes vs 49 [35–73] minutes, p = 0.036). CONCLUSIONS The retrograde approach was associated with faster recanalization times with a similar functional and safety profile when compared with the antegrade approach in patients with acute ischemic stroke with TL.