Mechanical thrombectomy for cerebral venous sinus thrombosis employing a novel combination of Angiojet and Penumbra ACE aspiration catheters: the Triaxial Angiojet technique

Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) can be life threatening. A previously healthy woman in her early forties on oral contraceptives presented with global CVST and rapid clinical deterioration. A novel ‘Triaxial Angiojet technique’ (KSAW Shuttle [Cook Inc., Bloomington, IN, USA], 5 MAX ACE [Penumbra Inc., Alameda, CA, USA], and Angiojet [Boston Scientific, Marlborough, MA, USA]) was employed to gain access into the superior sagittal sinus. The 5 MAX ACE reperfusion catheter was shortened prior to placing a 4 Fr Angiojet catheter through it. This resulted in markedly improved recanalization with good anterograde flow. The patient was extubated on postoperative day 2 and discharged neurologically intact on postoperative day 10. We report the first case of placing an Angiojet catheter through a larger Penumbra reperfusion catheter when access through a tortuous sigmoid and transverse sinus could not be obtained with a 6 Fr support catheter.