Assess the Penumbra System in the Treatment of Acute Stroke

Phase 4

Completed

Interventions: Drug: intravenous (IV) recombinant human tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA)
Device: Penumbra System

Brief Summary: The purpose of this trial is to assess the safety and effectiveness of the Penumbra System as an adjunctive treatment to intravenous (IV) recombinant human tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA)in patients with acute ischemic stroke from large vessel occlusion in the brain. IV rtPA is the only drug approved for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke but it does not work very well in cases where the stroke is caused by a large vessel occlusion. The hypothesis being tested is to determine if the addition of a treatment by a mechanical thrombectomy device like the Penumbra System can improve the clinical outcome of the patient over just using IV rtPA alone.

Detailed Description: Current therapies for acute stroke are limited to the intravenous administration of a intravenous (IV) recombinant human tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) for thrombolysis of the affected cerebral arteries within 3-4.5 hours from symptom onset, and the use of intra-arterial (IA) endovascular mechanical clot retrieval devices within 8 hours from ictus, all of which have limitations as mono therapies. For example, IV rtPA may not be very efficacious in large vessel occlusion and the long term effects of mechanical thrombectomy devices on patient functional outcome is unknown. This is a randomized, concurrent controlled study to assess the safety and effectiveness of the Penumbra System as adjunctive therapy to IV rtPA in the acute intervention of acute ischemic stroke. Patients presenting with symptoms of acute ischemic stroke who have evidence of a large clot burden (clot length \> 8mm) in the anterior circulation will be assigned to either IV rtPA therapy alone (0.9mg/kg to a maximum of 90mg) or a combined IV rtPA therapy (0.9mg/kg to a maximum of 90mg) and intra-arterial (IA) adjunctive treatment with the Penumbra System. Each treated patient will be followed and assessed for 3 months after enrollment.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria

From 18 to 85 years of age
Present with symptoms consistent with an acute ischemic stroke and eligible for IV rtPA therapy (patients presenting 3-4.5 hrs from symptom onset are not eligible if they are >80 yrs of age, have a history of stroke and diabetes, anticoagulant use (even if INR is <1.7) and have a NIHSS score >25
Evidence of a large vessel occlusion in the anterior circulation with a clot length of 8mm or longer
NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score 8 or greater or aphasic at presentation
Signed informed consent

Exclusion Criteria

History of stroke in the past 3 months.
Females who are pregnant
Pre-existing neurological or psychiatric disease that could confound the study results such as a pre-stroke mRS score 1 or greater
Known severe allergy to contrast media
Uncontrolled hypertension (defined as systolic blood pressure >185 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure >110 mmHg)
CT evidence of the following conditions at randomization:
- Significant mass effect with midline shift
- Any acute ischemic changes in >1/3 of the affected middle cerebral artery territory
- Evidence of intracranial hemorrhage
Angiographic evidence of tantem extracranial occlusion or an arterial stenosis proximal to the occlusion that requires treatment prior to thrombus removal. Moderate stenosis not requiring treatment is not an exclusion
Angiographic evidence of preexisting arterial injury
Rapidly improving neurological status prior to randomization
Bilateral stroke
Intracranial tumors
Known history of cerebral aneurysm or arteriovenous malfunction
Known hemorrhagic diathesis, coagulation deficiency, or on anticoagulant therapy with an International Normalized Ratio (INR) of >1.7
Baseline platelets <50,000
Use of IV heparin in the past 48 hours with PPT >1.5 times the normalized ratio
Pre-treatment glucose <50mg/dL or >300mg/dL
Life expectancy less than 90 days prior to stroke onset
Participation in another clinical investigation that could confound the evaluation of the study device

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
IV rtPA	intravenous (IV) recombinant human tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA)	IV infusion of rtPA at 0.9mg/kg to a maximum of 90mg
IV rtPA and IA Penumbra System	Penumbra System	Dual IV rtPA therapy (0.9mg/kg to a maximum of 90mg) and IA adjunctive treatment with the Penumbra System

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Good Functional Outcome as Defined by a Modified Rankin Score of 0-2	90 days	The assessor is blinded to patient treatment assignment.
Incidence of All Serious Adverse Events	90 days	A Serious Adverse Event is defined as an event that: 1. Led to death 2. Led to a serious deterioration in the health of the patient that: * Resulted in life-threatening illness or injury * Resulted in permanent impairment of a body structure or a body function * Required in-patient hospitalization or prolongation of existing hospitalization * Resulted in medical or surgical intervention to arrest permanent impairment to body structure or a body function * Led to fetal distress, fetal death or a congenital abnormality or birth defect

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Good Clinical Outcome	30 days	Good clinical outcome at 30 days post-procedure as defined by a 10 points or more improvement in the NIH stroke scale score at Discharge, a NIH stroke scale score of 0-1 at Discharge; or a 30-day modified Rankin scale score of 0-2
Incidence of Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Intracranial Hemorrhage	90 days	A symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage is defined as 24 hour CT evidence of an ECASS defined ICH and a 4-point or more worsening of the NIH Stroke Scale score

Locations (4): Endovascular Surgical Neuroradiology, Swedish Medical Center
🇺🇸
Denver, Colorado, United States
Neurosurgery, Rush University Medical Center
🇺🇸
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Medical College of Wisconsin
🇺🇸
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
Department of Neurological Surgery
🇺🇸
Gainesville, Florida, United States