Scepter

Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) is a well-established surgical technique for treating hydrocephalus. Many providers have transitioned to utilizing the specialized Neuroballoon for the stoma dilation in ETV; however, these devices are intermittently unavailable during supply chain shortages. We present the experience of employing cardiac angioplasty and neurovascular balloons as substitutes for the Neuroballoon in 3 patients. The scepter balloon (Microvention), priced at $1800 compared to the standard $300 Neuroballoon (Integra), proved effective, but its pliability presented technical challenges...

INTRODUCTION: Distal navigability and imprecise delivery of embolic agents are two limitations encountered during liquid embolization of cerebrospinal lesions. The dual-lumen Scepter Mini balloon (SMB) microcatheter was introduced to overcome these conventional microcatheters' limitations with few small single-center reports suggesting favorable results. METHODS: A series of consecutive patients undergoing SMB-assisted endovascular embolization were extracted from prospectively maintained registries in seven North-American centers (November 2019 to September 2022)...

Ethmoidal dural arteriovenous fistulas are a rare entity accounting for 10 % of all dAVFs.3-6 Haemorrhage occurs in up to 91 % of cases, which is a particularly high risk and warrants therapeutic intervention.8-9 Endovascular treatment for these fistulas using the conventional detachable microcatheter technique is associated with certain limitations and risks; 8.3 % rate of incomplete obliteration and an 8.3 % rate of complications. Complications include reflux of liquid embolic agent, posterior ischaemic optic neuropathy, acute visual loss, and small subdural haematoma secondary to a micro-perforation...

Background Patients with vein of Galen malformations (VOGMs) can develop fine angiogenic networks with fistulous connections to the precursor of the vein of Galen. In these cases, transarterial embolization (TAE) with liquid embolic agents (LEAs) is challenging due to reflux in the pedicle leading to the network, causing poor penetration. Transvenous approaches carry a risk of hemorrhage from pathologic vasculature. Dual-lumen balloon microcatheters like the Scepter Mini (Microvention, Aliso Viejo, CA) improve distal pedicle access, preventing reflux...

OBJECTIVES: Sedation and analgesia for infants and children requiring mechanical ventilation in the PICU is uniquely challenging due to the wide spectrum of ages, developmental stages, and pathophysiological processes encountered. Studies evaluating the safety and efficacy of sedative and analgesic management in pediatric patients have used heterogeneous methodologies. The Sedation Consortium on Endpoints and Procedures for Treatment, Education, and Research (SCEPTER) IV hosted a series of multidisciplinary meetings to establish consensus statements for future clinical study design and implementation as a guide for investigators studying PICU sedation and analgesia...

BACKGROUND: Dual-lumen balloon microcatheters can aid in the safety and efficacy of endovascular embolisation of cerebrospinal vascular malformations. The Scepter Mini dual-lumen balloon is a novel device with a smaller profile than previous balloon microcatheters, opening up new indications not only in the treatment of cerebrospinal malformations but in various other neurovascular therapeutic and diagnostic scenarios. METHODS: Following institutional ethics review board approval, a retrospective review of our prospectively maintained database of cases employing the Scepter Mini dual-lumen microballoon catheter was conducted...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: A few researches have reported the exposure-efficacy/toxicity relationships of epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs). On account of the large interpatient pharmacokinetic variability, therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) seems promising for optimizing dosage regimen and improving treatment efficacy and safety. Therefore, a rapid and convenient ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method was developed and validated for the determination of icotinib, osimertinib, gefitinib and O-demesthyl gefitinib in human plasma for TDM...

Eleven kinds of hair dyes were determined in hair-dyeing products by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (MS). The samples were extracted with ultrasound in methanol for 20 min. After centrifugation, the supernatant was diluted with 10% methanol/90% water (v/v). Then, the solution was analyzed by Shim-pack Scepter C18-120 column (100 mm × 2.1 mm, 1.9 μm) plus electrospray ionization-MS/MS. Matrix-matched standard solutions were used to analyze the samples...

Targeted exome-based genotype by sequencing (t-GBS), a sequencing technology that tags SNPs and haplotypes in gene-rich regions was used in previous genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for sodicity tolerance in bread wheat. Thirty-nine novel SNPs including 18 haplotypes for yield and yield-components were identified. The present study aimed at developing SNP-derived markers by precisely locating new SNPs on ~180 bp allelic sequence of t-GBS, marker validation, and SNP functional characterization based on its exonic location...

We investigated the effect of pre-sowing seed treatment with endophytic Bacillus subtilis 10-4 ( B. subtilis ) on spring and winter wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.; cultivars Ekada-70 (Ek) and Scepter (Sc), respectively) growth and tolerance under 1-24 h of drought stress, modulated by 12% polyethylene glycol 6000 (PEG). The results showed that drought decreased transpiration intensity (TI), root relative water content (RWC), osmotic potential (Ψπ ) of cell sap, and induced proline accumulation and electrolyte leakage (EL) in both wheat cultivars...

Endovascular embolization is the first-line therapy for dural arteriovenous fistulas (dAVFs). Transarterial embolization (TAE) may be limited by poor anatomical access. Transvenous embolization avoids this, but carries a risk of hemorrhage, venous redirection, and neurologic deterioration. Dual-lumen balloon microcatheters like the Scepter Mini (Microvention, Aliso Viejo, CA, USA) provide flow arrest and prevent reflux during TAE with liquid embolic agents (LEAs), but use in the distensible veins may be challenging...

BACKGROUND: The balloon pressure technique (BPT) is an alternative to the pressure cooker technique. A dual lumen balloon (DLB) is used to inject the liquid embolic agent through the working lumen while the balloon is inflated. The purpose of our study was to report our early experience using the Scepter Mini dual lumen balloons for BPT in brain arteriovenous malformation (bAVM) embolization. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Consecutive patients treated from July 2020 to July 2021 in 3 tertiary centers using the BPT with low-profile dual lumen balloons (Scepter Mini, Microvention, Tustin, CA, USA) by endovascular means for bAVMs were retrospectively reviewed...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

Pseudomonas syringae MUP20 was isolated from Western Australian frost-damaged wheat. The MUP20 complete genome contained a 6,045,198-bp single circular chromosome with a GC content of 59.03%. IMG/M genome annotation identified 5,245 protein-coding genes, 1 of which encoded an ice nucleation protein containing 20 occurrences of a highly repetitive PF00818 domain.

OBJECTIVE: Endovascular treatment of cerebrovascular diseases is often challenging due to small caliber, tortuous distal vessels. Several devices and techniques have evolved to overcome these challenges. Recently, a low profile dual lumen microballoon catheter, specifically designed for distal navigation is employed for neurovascular procedures. Due to its recent advent, scarce data is available on clinical utility and safety of Scepter Mini. The aim of this case series is to report our initial experience with Scepter Mini in the management of various cerebrovascular diseases...

BACKGROUND: Chronic low back pain (cLBP) is a common and highly disabling problem world-wide. Although many treatment options exist, it is unclear how to best sequence the multitude of care options to provide the greatest benefit to patients. METHODS: The Sequential and Comparative Evaluation of Pain Treatment Effectiveness Response (SCEPTER) trial uses a pragmatic, randomized, stepped design. Enrollment targets 2529 participants from 20 Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers...

Treatment of ocular infection involves pharmacotherapy with steroids and antibiotic drops, such as moxifloxacin hydrochloride (MFH) and dexamethasone sodium phosphate (DSP). To characterize the pharmacokinetics of these two compounds, we performed and validated a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method to quantify them in rabbit ocular tissues and plasma. We used protein precipitation to extract the compounds. The analyte and internal standard (IS) were separated using a Shim-pack Scepter C18 column...

Spinal arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) account for approximately 70% of all vascular spinal malformations and commonly develop in the lateral epidural space at the epidural /radicular venous junction. The fistula is located close to the spinal nerve root where a radiculomeningeal artery shunts to a radicular vein. Increased venous pressure leads to decreased spinal venous drainage and venous congestion causing progressive myelopathy, bowel/bladder incontinence and erectile dysfunction. Treatment consists of surgical occlusion of the intradural vein, or endovascular embolization, which has a reported success rate of 25%-75%...

BACKGROUND: The use of balloon microcatheters in interventional neuroradiology is well documented. However, their use is sometimes limited by the small diameter and excessive tortuosity of the vasculature. The Scepter Mini dual-lumen balloon microcatheter (SMBM) (Microvention, Aliso Viejo, CA) has been designed to address these challenges by decreasing the distal catheter profile, allowing distal access to the target vessel. METHODS: This is a single-centre retrospective analysis of the initial cases performed using the Scepter Mini balloon microcatheter...

The scope of this technical note is to report our experience with balloon remodeling for wideneck aneurysms and balloon angioplasty of post-subarachnoid hemorrhage vasospasm using the novel Scepter Mini balloon (SMB). Five cases were treated with balloon remodeling for aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage, 2 of which were additionally treated with angioplasty due to post-bleeding vasospasm. All patients had their aneurysm located on parent vessels with a diameter smaller than 2 mm. Complete occlusion was noted in all aneurysms, and the patients had no short-term complications attributed to the catheterization...