Combination of thrombolytic therapy and angioplastic stent insertion in a patient with Budd-Chiari syndrome

A 31-year-old female who had well-established polycythemia vera one year before, presented with the sudden onset. She had severe ascites and hepatic encephalopathy 12 d prior to admission. Real-time ultrasonography revealed a supra hepatic thrombosis extending toward the inferior vena cava （IVC）. Thrombolytic therapy with systemic streptokinase （250000 IU loading ＋ 100000 IU/h infusion） was started. At the end of 72 h infusion, the patient＇s general condition improved. A color Doppler ultrasonography then showed complete and partial resolution of the thrombosis in the supra hepatic vein and IVC, respectively. Despite this good response, 12 d later, the symptoms recurred. Venography detected complete obstruction of the IVC. Percutanous balloon angioplasty with stent insertion was performed successfully and the patient was discharged without any evidence of liver disease. A combination of systemic streptokinase and radiological intervention was effective in our patient.

Prognostic Biomarkers in Patients with Ischemic Stroke Who Received Thrombolytic Therapy

Background： The aim of the research was to evaluate the association between CRP （C-reactive protein）, troponin I, d-dimer, creatinine, glucose, GFR （glomerular filtration rate） and LDL-C （low-density lipoprotein cholesterol） levels at the admission and the results of thrombolytic therapy. Materials and methods： 113 patients who underwent thrombolytic therapy for acute ischemic stroke in Pauls Stradins Clinical University Hospital from 01.01.2015 to 01.01.2016 were studied retrospectively. Blood samples were collected in the emergency department. The neurological status was estimated using the NIHSS （National Institute of Health Stroke Scale）. The efficacy of thrombolytic therapy was assessed by comparing NIHSS score at the admission and after treatment. Afterward all patients were divided into three groups-the major improvement （NIHSS 〉 4）, minor improvement （NIHSS ≤ 4） and without any clinical effect. Results： Only the median levels of GFR were significantly （p = 0.015） lower in patients who did not have any clinical improvements after thrombolytic therapy as compared to patients with the major or minor improvements （60.0, IQR （interquartile range） 42.4-72.3 mL/min/1.73m2; 83.2, IQR 65.3-98.3 mL/min/1.73m2 and 75.9, IQR 59.2-94.6 mL/min/1.73m2）. Based on the ROC （receiver operating characteristic） curve, the optimal cut-off value of GFR level as an indicator for prediction of worsen clinical outcome after thrombolytic therapy was projected to be 61.65 mL/min/1.73m2, which yielded a sensitivity of 71.4% and a specificity of 24.5%, the area under the curve was 0.788 （95% CI （confidence interval）, 0.648-0.928）. According Spearman rank correlation test was founded statistically significant indirect correlation between GFR level and NIHSS score after treatment （r = -0.410, p = 0.020） in patients with severe stroke （NIHSS 〉 14）. Conclusions： GFR level lower than 61.65 mL/min/1.73m2 at the admission could predict as a worse outcome, especially in patients with severe stroke.

The Changes of Vasoactive Substances Originated Endotheiium in Patients with Unstable Angina Pectoris Treated by Improved Thrombolytic Therapy

Objectives To analyze the changes of vasoactive substances originated from endo- theiium in patients with unstable angina pectoris treated by modified thrombolytic therapy and explore the mech- anisms of the drug to treat unstable angina pectoris. Methods 120 patients with unstable angina pectoris who were not well responsed to common medication were studied. Their ECG stress tests were abnormal and there were ischemic changes in Holter. Urokinase 300,000 U was added in 100 ml normal saline and in- jected within 30 min once a day for 3 days. 300 mg as- pirin was administrated a day before and during uroki- nase applications. Before and after urokinase treat- ments , endothelin-1 , plasma tissue plasminogen activa- tor and its inhibitor-lwere determined. Results Compared with pretreatments, after treatments, the ac- tivities of tissue plasminogen activator increased, endo- thelin-1 and the inhibitor-1 decreased. The changes were significant. Conclusions Modified thrombolytic therapy can regulate the vasoactive substances origina- ted endotheiium in patients with unstable angina pecto- ris . The major substances include endothelin-1, plasma tissue plasminogen activator and inhibitor-1. This mechanism may suggest that urokinase can treat coro- nary heart disease effectively.

Atrioventricular block complicating inferior acute myocardial infarction treated with thrombolytic therapy

Objective To investigate the influence and mechanism of incidence of atrioventricular block (AVB) treated with thrombolytic therapy in acute inferior myocardial infarction (AIMI).Methods A total of 46 patients with AIMI were divided into the thrombolytic group (n = 23) and the nonthrornboytic group (n = 23). Intravenous or intracoronary urokinase was given to the former group. We observed the advancing courses of AVB, and further assessed the relationship between occurrence of AVB and stenosis of infarct-related artery (IRA) with coronary angiography.Results Two cases died of Ⅲ o AVB in the non-thrombolytic group, but none was found in the thrombolytic group. The occurrence rate of AVB was similar in both groups; but that of Ⅲ ° AVB was much lower in the thrombolytic group (4 cases) than that in the non-thrombolytic group (11 cases, P ＜ 0.05), and the duration of AVB decreased from 201 ± 113 hours to 102±60 hours after thrombolytic therapy ( P＜0.01 ),which was mainly due to the decrease of AVB in the vanishing interval, but not in the developing interval.The coronary angiography demonstrated that there were an increasing reperfusion flow and a decreasing coronary stenosis of the infarct-related artery after thrombolytic therapy.Conclusion Thrombolytic therapy can reduce the incidence of severe AVB, shorten its duration and decrease the mortality by increasing the coronary reperfusion flow in the patients with AIMI.

Predictors of long-term clinical outcome of patients with acute massive pulmonary embolism after thrombolytic therapy

To assess the in-hospital clinical course and the long-term evolution of acute massive pulmonary embolism after thrombolytic therapy and to identify predictors of adverse clinical outcome Methods A total of 260 patients hospitalized from January 1989 to October 1998 were retrospectively reviewed and followed up for 3 9 to 8 4 years Baseline characteristics and variables pre- and post-thrombolysis were identified Particular attention was paid to the clinical events, including death, recurrent thromboembolism, chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension, and major bleeding attributable to the use of anticoagulants Kaplan-Meier event-free survival curves were generated Univariate analysis by means of the log-rank test was used to test each candidate variable for association with clinical outcome Multivariate analysis with the Cox proportional hazard model was used to determine independent predictors of the long-term outcome Results The in-hospital mortality rate was 8 5%, with 68 2% due to pulmonary embolism itself, and the follow-up mortality rate was 31 7%, with 29 2% due to recurrent embolism Factors associated with an adverse outcome in univariate analysis were: (1) prior thromboembolic diseases; (2) duration of anticoagulant therapy <6 months; (3) inferior vena caval filter placement; (4) acute right ventricular dysfunction/dilation detected echocardiographically after thrombolysis; (5) Doppler recording of pulmonary artery systolic pressure >50 mmHg after thrombolysis; and (6) greater than 30% obstruction of pulmonary vasculature identified by pulmonary ventilation/perfusion scintigraphy before hospital discharge Multivariate analysis identified three independent predictors of poor long-term outcome for patients with acute massive pulmonary embolism after thrombolysis; which were: (1) Doppler recording of pulmonary artery systolic pressure >50 mm Hg, with relative risk of 3 78 and a 95% confidence interval of 2 70 to 4 86; (2) echocardiographic evidence of right ventricular dysfunction/dilatation (relative risk: 2 18; 95% confidence interval: 1 48 to 2 88); and (3) greater than 30% obstruction of pulmonary vasculature documented by lung scan (relative risk: 1 99; 95% confidence interval: 1 25 to 2 70) Conclusion The study showed that Doppler echocardiographic assessments after thrombolytic therapy and ventilation/perfusion scintigraphy prior to hospital discharge are valuable to establishment of new baseline characteristics, which is informative for risk stratification and prognostication of the long-term outcome for patients with acute massive pulmonary embolism

Thrombolytic therapy for femoral artery thrombosis after left cardiac catheterization in children

Background Femoral artery thrombosis is one of the most common complications of catheterizations in infants and young children. This study was conducted to investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of thrombolytic therapy for femoral artery thrombosis after left cardiac catheterization in children. Methods Thrombolytic therapy with urokinase was carried out in children with femoral artery thrombosis after left cardiac catheterization. Each patient was given a bolus injection of heparin （100 U/kg）. A bolus of urokinase （30 000 - 100 000 U） was injected intravenously, and then a continuous infusion of 10 000-50 000 U/h was administered. Transcatheter thrombolysis was performed once previous procedures failed. Results Eight patients （aged （3.1±2.3） years （8 months to 7 years）, body weight （13.1±4.2） kg （7 to 20 kg）） presented lower limbs ischemia after left cardiac catheterizations was performed. Seven patients accepted thrombolytic therapy with urokinase. In 5 patients, peripheral intravenous thrombolysis was successful with restoration of a normal pulse. In the other 3 cases, peripheral intravenous thrombolysis failed, followed by successful transcatheter thrombolysis. The average duration of therapy was （7.25±5.31） hours （1-17 hours）. The average doses of heparin and urokinase were （1600±723） U （800-3000 U） and （268 571±177 240） U （50 000-500 000 U）, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences in partial thromboplastin time before and during urokinase therapy （（40.6±22.3） to （49.9±39.2） seconds）. However, the prothrombin time was significantly longer （（12.7±2.58） to （48.1±18.6） seconds, P〈0.05）. Patency of the target vessel was evaluated in all the patients for 2 weeks and no occlusion recurred. Conclusion Thrombolytic therapy with urokinase is a safe and useful modality in children with femoral artery thrombosis after left cardiac catheterization.

THROMBOLYTIC THERAPY FOR ACUTE CEREBRAL VASCULAR OCCLUSION

Superselective intra-arterial thrombolytic therapy with urokinase infusion was effective in 10 patients with acute cerebral vascular occlusion. PATIENTS AND METHODS In the 10 patients, 8 were men and 2 women. Their age ranged from 34 to 70 years.

Effect of fibrinolytic therapy on ST-elevation myocardial infarction clinical outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic:A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND ST-elevation myocardial infarction(STEMI)is the result of transmural ischemia of the myocardium and is associated with a high mortality rate.Primary percutaneous coronary intervention(PPCI)is the recommended first-line treatment strategy for patients with STEMI.The timely delivery of PPCI became extremely challenging for STEMI patients during the coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)pandemic,leading to a projected steep rise in mortality.These delays were overcome by the shift from first-line therapy and the development of modern fibrinolytic-based reperfusion.It is unclear whether fibrinolytic-based reperfusion therapy is effective in improving STEMI endpoints.AIM To determine the incidence of fibrinolytic therapy during the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on STEMI clinical outcomes.METHODS PubMed,Google Scholar,Scopus,Web of Science,and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were queried from January 2020 up to February 2022 to identify studies investigating the effect of fibrinolytic therapy on the prognostic outcome of STEMI patients during the pandemic.Primary outcomes were the incidence of fibrinolysis and the risk of all-cause mortality.Data were meta-analyzed using the random effects model to derive odds ratios(OR)and 95%confidence intervals.Quality assessment was carried out using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale.RESULTS Fourteen studies including 50136 STEMI patients(n=15142 in the pandemic arm;n=34994 in the pre-pandemic arm)were included.The mean age was 61 years;79%were male,27%had type 2 diabetes,and 47%were smokers.Compared with the pre-pandemic period,there was a significantly increased overall incidence of fibrinolysis during the pandemic period[OR:1.80(1.18 to 2.75);I2=78%;P=0.00;GRADE:Very low].The incidence of fibrinolysis was not associated with the risk of all-cause mortality in any setting.The countries with a low-and middle-income status reported a higher incidence of fibrinolysis[OR:5.16(2.18 to 12.22);I2=81%;P=0.00;GRADE:Very low]and an increased risk of all-cause mortality in STEMI patients[OR:1.16(1.03 to 1.30);I2=0%;P=0.01;GRADE:Very low].Meta-regression analysis showed a positive correlation of hyperlipidemia(P=0.001)and hypertension(P<0.001)with all-cause mortality.CONCLUSION There is an increased incidence of fibrinolysis during the pandemic period,but it has no effect on the risk of all-cause mortality.The low-and middle-income status has a significant impact on the all-cause mortality rate and the incidence of fibrinolysis.

Stroke:Evolution of newer treatment modalities for acute ischemic stroke

Acute ischemic stroke is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide.Restoration of cerebral blood flow to affected ischemic areas has been the cornerstone of therapy for patients for eligible patients as early diagnosis and treatment have shown improved outcomes.However,there has been a paradigm shift in the management approach over the last decade,and with the emphasis currently directed toward including newer modalities such as neuroprotection,stem cell treatment,magnetic stimulation,anti-apoptotic drugs,delayed recanali-zation,and utilization of artificial intelligence for early diagnosis and suggesting algorithm-based management protocols.

Evolving of treatment options for cerebral infarction

In this editorial,we comment on a recent article which addressed the therapeutic effect of aspirin plus edaravone in patients with cerebral infarction(CI).Herein,we outline the progress in therapy of CI.Apart from thrombolysis,aspirin is the most effective treatment for CI.Edaravone,a free radical scavenger,reduces endothelial cell damage and delays neuronal cell death.Aspirin plus edaravone mitigates damage to brain tissue by different mechanisms,thereby expediting the reinstation of neurological function.However,the nephrotoxic effect of edaravone,along with gastrointestinal bleeding associated with aspirin,may restrict this combination therapy.Although clinical studies have demonstrated the efficacy of thrombolytic therapy and mechanical thrombectomy,patients receiving these treatments experience modest efficacy and many adverse events.Moreover,interest in exploring natural medicines for CI is increasing,and they appear to have a high potential to protect against CI.The evolution of therapeutic strategies is expected to improve clinical outcomes of patients with CI.

Serum calcium,albumin,globulin and matrix metalloproteinase-9 levels in acute cerebral infarction patients

BACKGROUND Hemorrhagic transformation(HT)is a common complication in patients with cerebral infarction.However,its pathogenesis is poorly understood.The knowledge of factors that may increase risk for HT may help in improving the safety of thrombolytic therapy.AIM To investigate the predictive value of serum calcium,albumin,globulin and matrix metalloproteinase-9(MMP-9)levels for HT after intravenous thrombolysis(IVT)in patients with acute cerebral infarction.METHODS Five hundred patients with acute cerebral infarction who received IVT with alteplase within 4.5 h after the onset of disease between January 2018 and January 2021 at our hospital were selected as the study subjects.They were divided into groups based on computed tomography scan results of the brain made within 36 h after thrombolysis.Forty patients with HT were enrolled in an observation group and 460 patients without HT were enrolled in a control group.Serum calcium,albumin,globulin and MMP-9 levels were compared between the two groups.Regression analysis was used to discuss the relationship between these indices and HT.RESULTS The previous history of hypertension,diabetes,atrial fibrillation,cerebrovascular diseases,smoking and alcohol intake were not associated with HT after IVT in patients with acute cerebral infarction(all P>0.05).The National Institutes of Health stroke scale(NHISS)score was associated with HT after IVT in patients with acute cerebral infarction(P<0.05).The serum calcium and albumin levels were lower in the observation group than in the control group(all P<0.05).The levels of globulin and MMP-9 were significantly higher in the observation group than in the control group(all P<0.05).Logistic regression analysis showed that NHISS score,serum calcium,albumin,globulins and MMP-9 were independent factors influencing the occurrence of HT following IVT in patients with cerebral infarction(P<0.05).CONCLUSION Serum calcium,albumin,globulin and MMP-9 levels are risk factors for HT after IVT in patients with acute cerebral infarction.Moreover,NHISS score can be used as a predictor of post-thrombolytic HT.

Nano-Medicine for Thrombosis:A Precise Diagnosis and Treatment Strategy

Thrombosis is a global health issue and one of the leading factors of death.However,its diagnosis has been limited to the late stages,and its therapeutic window is too narrow to provide reasonable and effective treatment.In addition,clinical thrombolytics suffer from a short half-life,allergic reactions,inactivation,and unwanted tissue hemorrhage.Nano-medicines have gained extensive attention in diagnosis,drug delivery,and photo/sound/magnetic-theranostics due to their convertible properties.Furthermore,diagnosis and treatment of thrombosis using nano-medicines have also been widely studied.This review summarizes the recent advances in this area,which revealed six types of nanoparticle approaches:(1)in vitro diagnostic kits using“synthetic biomarkers”;(2)in vivo imaging using nano-contrast agents;(3)targeted drug delivery systems using artificial nanoparticles;(4)microenvironment responsive drug delivery systems;(5)drug delivery systems using biological nanostructures;and(6)treatments with external irradiation.The investigations of nano-medicines are believed to be of great significance,and some of the advanced drug delivery systems show potential applications in clinical theranotics.

Starting thrombolytic therapy for patients with acute myocardial infarction in Accident and Emergency Department:from implementation to evaluation

Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of initiating thrombolysis for patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in the Accident and Emergency Department. Methods From January 1993 to December 1995, all AMI patients who were admitted to the United Christian Hospital and given thrombolytic therapy were studied. The patients' demographic data, time and mode of presentation, site of myocardial infarction, treatment modality and timing, and complications related to AMI or treatment were recorded prospectively in our AMI database. The frequency of thrombolysis administered in Accident and Emergency Department and Coronary Care Unit, as well as the median door-to-needle time (time interval between hospital arrival to initiation of thrombolytic therapy) were compared. Cases of inappropriate thrombolysis and complication were also analyzed.Results Over these 3 years, 257 patients received thrombolysis in the United Christian Hospital. The percentage of patients receiving thrombolysis in Accident and Emergency Department increased from 3.2% in 1993 to 12.3% in 1994, and to 39.4% in 1995. The median time interval between arrival to hospital and thrombolysis (door-to-needle time) was 25 minutes, compared with 81 minutes in the Coronary Care Unit. The door-to-needle time also improved over these 3 years: from 95 minutes in 1993 to 75 minutes in 1995 in Coronary Care Unit group, and from 35 minutes in 1993 to 20 minutes in 1995 in the Accident and Emergency Department group. Over these 3 years, 2 cases of inappropriate thrombolysis were reported but these did not result in any mortality. Four complications from thrombolytic therapy were reported, and these were managed appropriately by the staff in Accident and Emergency Department and did not result in mortality. Conclusions Starting thrombolytic therapy in Accident and Emergency Department is safe and effectively decreases the door-to-needle time.

Deep venous thrombosis after gastrectomy for gastric carcinoma:A case report

The treatment of gastric carcinoma consists of neoadjuvant chemoradiation,partial gastrectomy,subtotal gastrectomy,total gastrectomy,extended resection,and postoperative chemotherapy.Currently,gastrectomy and extended lymphadenectomy is the optimal choice for late gastric carcinoma.Postoperative complications are common after total gastrectomy including hemorrhage,anastomotic leakage,f istula,and obstruction.However,deep venous thrombosis(DVT) is an uncommon complication after gastrectomy for gastric carcinoma.We describe a case of a 68-year-old female patient with DVT after gastrectomy for gastric carcinoma.The patient was treated with anticoagulants and thrombolytics and subjected to necessary laboratory monitoring.The patient recovered well after treatment and was symptom-free during a 3-mo follow-up.We conclude that correct diagnosis and treatment of DVT are crucial.

Operative or Interventional Treatment in Infrainguinal Bypass Occlusion:Are There Predictive Factors Affecting Outcome?

Purpose: To evaluate outcome of interventional and surcigal treatment in infrainguinal bypass occlusion and to identify predictive factors affecting therapeutic success. Material and Methods: Over a period of three years 96 patients with infrainguinal bypass occlusion were included in this retrospective study. 52 patients were treated by catheter-directed thrombolysis and 44 patients by reconstructive vascular surgery. Results: 41 grafts could be reopened in thrombolytic group (78.8%), thrombolysis failed in 11 cases (21.2%). 34 grafts were treated successfully by reconstructive vascular surgery (77.3%), 10 grafts couldn’t be reopened or reoccluded within 30 days after surcical therapy. After a median observation time of 14.7 months 30 of 48 (62.5%) bypass grafts treated with intraarterial thrombolysis and 19 of 27 (70.4%) grafts treated with thrombectomy were overall patent. Limb salvage was 81.3% in thrombolytic group and 88.8% in surgery group. No predictive factors affecting outcome could be identified in both groups except the localization of the occluded graft (above/below knee). Conclusion: Infrainguinal bypass occlusion is a serious and challenging complication in vascular surgery. Our study showed similar results for both therapeutic strategies. Despite our data was retrospective with a small number of patients the localization of the occluded graft as predictive pretherapeutic factor was significant in thrombolytic and surgery group. Based on these scientific findings we established a guideline for choice of therapeutic treatment in our institution after searching current literature.

Tenecteplase versus alteplase in treatment of acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction:A randomized non-inferiority trial

Background:A phase II trial on recombinant human tenecteplase tissue-type plasminogen activator(rhTNK-tPA)has previously shown its preliminary efficacy in ST elevation myocardial infarction(STEMI)patients.This study was designed as a pivotal postmarketing trial to compare its efficacy and safety with rrecombinant human tissue-type plasminogen activator alteplase(rt-PA)in Chinese patients with STEMI.Methods:In this multicenter,randomized,open-label,non-inferiority trial,patients with acute STEMI were randomly assigned(1:1)to receive an intravenous bolus of 16 mg rhTNK-tPA or an intravenous bolus of 8 mg rt-PA followed by an infusion of 42 mg in 90 min.The primary endpoint was recanalization defined by thrombolysis in myocardial infarction(TIMI)flow grade 2 or 3.The secondary endpoint was clinically justified recanalization.Other endpoints included 30-day major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events(MACCEs)and safety endpoints.Results:From July 2016 to September 2019,767 eligible patients were randomly assigned to receive rhTNK-tPA(n=384)or rt-PA(n=383).Among them,369 patients had coronary angiography data on TIMI flow,and 711 patients had data on clinically justified recanalization.Both used a–15%difference as the non-inferiority efficacy margin.In comparison to rt-PA,both the proportion of patients with TIMI grade 2 or 3 flow(78.3%[148/189]vs.81.7%[147/180];differences:–3.4%;95%confidence interval[CI]:–11.5%,4.8%)and clinically justified recanalization(85.4%[305/357]vs.85.9%[304/354];difference:–0.5%;95%CI:–5.6%,4.7%)in the rhTNK-tPA group were non-inferior.The occurrence of 30-day MACCEs(10.2%[39/384]vs.11.0%[42/383];hazard ratio:0.96;95%CI:0.61,1.50)did not differ significantly between groups.No safety outcomes significantly differed between groups.Conclusion:rhTNK-tPA was non-inferior to rt-PA in the effect of improving recanalization of the infarct-related artery,a validated surrogate of clinical outcomes,among Chinese patients with acute STEMI.Trial registration:www.ClinicalTrials.gov(No.NCT02835534).

Deep cerebral venous thrombosis in adults

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the pathogenesis, clinical features, radiographic findings and therapeutic outcomes of non-acute intracranial deep venous thrombosis in adults. METHODS: Five patients who presented with increased intracranial pressure were examined with computed tomography, magnetic resonance and angiography, diagnosed as having non-acute intracranial deep venous thrombosis, and treated with thrombolytic therapy. They were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: There were 3 men and 2 women, aged from 22 to 49 years. Symptom duration ranged from 1 month to 7 months, and 4 of the 5 patients were associated with venous sinus thrombosis. Two patients developed cold and fever before the onset of disease, and 3 patients had no evident predisposing factors. After the infusion of thrombolytic and systemic anti-coagulant therapy, the neurological symptoms and signs of the patients were alleviated. CONCLUSIONS: Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) is more sensitive and accurate than MRI on diagnosing intracranial deep venous thrombosis. It may play an important role in the assessment of the treatment of intracranial deep venous thrombosis. Thrombolysis and anticoagulation of intracranial deep venous thrombosis appears to be a safe and efficacious treatment not only in the acute stage but also in the non-acute stage.

Stereotactic aspiration and thrombolysis of spontaneous intracerebellar hemorrhage

Background Spontaneous intracerebellar hemorrhage （SCH） accounts for 10% of intracerebral hemorrhages. Up to now stereotactic aspiration and thrombolysis of SCH was less reported. The aim of this study was to assess the effect and feasibility of the method, and to refine the clinical protocol. Methods Eighteen patients with SCH were treated by stereotactic aspiration and thrombolysis and reviewed in this report. The 3-ram axial stereotactic computed tomoaraDhv slices throughout the hematoma were obtained.