Question: Date/Time of First Pass for CSTK-7

MUSC uses the Adapt technique ( Journal of Neurointerventional Surgery ADAPT FAST Study: A Direct Aspiration First Pass Technique for Acute Stroke Thrombectomy Aquilla S Turk, Don Frei, David Fiorella, J Mocco, Blaise Baxter, Adnan Siddiqui, Alex Spiotta, Maxim Mokin, Michael Dewan, Steve Quarfordt, Holly Battenhouse, Raymond Turner, Imran Chaudry. There is no MER in this technique. Would the date/time of 1st attempt to revascularization satisfy the documentation requirement for IA t-PA or MER Initiation and First Pass date/time. Thank you, Pat

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Answer:

At the time that the specifications for CSTK-07 were finalized, aspiration technique was not addressed in the multi-society guideline. Aspiration technique is an issue that needs to be brought back to the Technical Advisory Panel Members for consideration and advise as to future revisions to the measure/data element abstraction guidelines.

First aspiration attempt sounds reasonable; however,since the measure is not constructed to capture these type of procedures, select 'NO'/'UTD' if catheter-directed MER was not done.