FreeClimb 88 catheter with Tenzing 8 delivery for contact aspiration mechanical thrombectomy of anterior circulation large vessel occlusions

Purpose: Contact aspiration mechanical thrombectomy (CAMT) with 0.088-inch catheters may improve first-pass success rates, but delivery of such catheters can be challenging and limit effectiveness. This study examines the initial multicenter experience using the FreeClimb 88 catheter paired with the Tenzing 8 delivery catheter.

Materials and methods: Retrospective analysis was performed of consecutive patients with large vessel occlusion (LVO) of the internal carotid artery (ICA) or M1 segment of the middle cerebral artery treated with off-label CAMT using the FreeClimb 88 and Tenzing 8 at eight sites participating in the early limited release for these devices. Demographic and procedural variables were collected and analyzed with descriptive statistics and multivariable analysis.

Results: Fifty-three consecutive patients were treated. Large vessel occlusion was located in the ICA in 19/53 (35.8%) patients; 34/53 (64.2%) were in the M1 segment. FreeClimb 88 was successfully delivered to the site of occlusion in 50/53 (94.3%) of patients. First-pass TICI 2c or 3 was achieved with FreeClimb 88 delivered by Tenzing 8 in 36 (67.9%) cases. Among cases with successful FreeClimb 88 delivery 9/50 (18.0%) required additional smaller devices to perform thrombectomy of distal occlusions after recanalization of the initial LVO. No complications or symptomatic hemorrhages occurred following thrombectomy.

Conclusion: Contact aspiration mechanical thrombectomy performed for ICA or M1 LVOs using FreeClimb 88 delivered with Tenzing 8 was safe, effective, and efficient in this early experience, with first-pass TICI 2c or 3 was achieved in 68% of patients without procedural complications occurring in any cases.