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A group of 392 patients was analyzed (160 before versus 232 after January 2015). Distal balloon angioplasty was associated with the following: higher rates of angioplasty (43% versus 27%) and intravenous milrinone (31% versus 9%); lower rates of postangioplasty delayed cerebral infarction (2.2% versus 7.5%) and new angioplasty (8% versus 19%) independent of the rate of patients treated by angioplasty and milrinone; and the same rates of stroke related to angioplasty (3.6% versus 3.1%), delayed cerebral infarction (7.7% versus 12.5%), mortality (10% versus 11%), and favorable outcome (79% versus 73%). The authors conclude that distal balloon angioplasty is safe and decreases the risk of delayed cerebral infarction and the recurrence of vasospasm compared with conventional angioplasty. It fails to show a clinical benefit possibly because of confounding changes in adjuvant therapies of vasospasm during the study period.

From January 2011 to December 2017, nine consecutive patients with Susac syndrome and a control group of 73 patients with multiple sclerosis or clinically isolated syndrome were included. Two neuroradiologists blinded to the clinical and ophthalmologic data independently reviewed MRIs and assessed leptomeningeal enhancement and parenchymal abnormalities. Follow-up MRIs of patients with Susac syndrome were reviewed and compared with clinical and retinal fluorescein angiographic data evaluated by an independent ophthalmologist. Patients with Susac syndrome were significantly more likely to present with leptomeningeal enhancement: 5/9 (56%) versus 6/73 (8%) in the control group. They had a significantly higher leptomeningeal enhancement burden with ≥3 lesions in 5/9 patients versus 0/73. Regions of leptomeningeal enhancement were significantly more likely to be located in the posterior fossa. The authors conclude that leptomeningeal enhancement occurs frequently in Susac syndrome and could be helpful for diagnosis and prediction of clinical relapse.