Frequency of inter-specialty consensus decisions and adherence to advice following discussion at a weekly neurovascular multidisciplinary meeting

Background/aimsData are limited on the frequency of 'consensus decisions' between sub-specialists attending a neurovascular multidisciplinary meeting (MDM) regarding management of patients with extracranial carotid/vertebral stenoses and post-MDM 'adherence' to such advice.MethodsThis prospective audit/quality improvement project collated prospectively-recorded data from a weekly Neurovascular/Stroke Centre MDM documenting the proportion of extracranial carotid/vertebral stenosis patients in whom 'consensus management decisions' were reached by neurologists, vascular surgeons, stroke physicians-geriatricians and neuroradiologists. Adherence to MDM advice was analysed in asymptomatic carotid stenosis (ACS), symptomatic carotid stenosis (SCS), 'indeterminate symptomatic status stenosis' (ISS) and vertebral artery stenosis (VAS) patients, including intervals between index event to MDM + / - intervention.ResultsOne hundred fifteen patients were discussed: 108 with carotid stenosis and 7 with VAS. Consensus regarding management was noted in 96.5% (111/115): 100% with ACS and VAS, 96.2% with SCS and 92.9% with ISS. Adherence to MDM management advice was 96.4% (107/111): 100% in ACS, ISS and VAS patients; 92% (46/50) in SCS patients. The median interval from index symptoms to revascularisation in 50-99% SCS patients was 12.5 days (IQR: 9-18.3 days; N = 26), with a median interval from MDM to revascularisation of 5.5 days (IQR: 1-7 days). Thirty patients underwent revascularisation. Two out of twenty-nine patients (6.9%) with either SCS or ISS had a peri-procedural ipsilateral ischaemic stroke, with no further strokes/deaths during 3-months follow-up.ConclusionsThe high frequency of inter-specialty consensus regarding management and adherence to proposed treatment supports a collaborative/multidisciplinary model of care in patients with extracranial arterial stenoses. Service development should aim to shorten times between MDM discussion-intervention and optimise prevention of stroke/death.

Automated summary

This study aimed to analyze the frequency of 'consensus decisions' during neurovascular multidisciplinary meetings (MDM) and the post-MDM 'adherence' to such decisions in patients with carotid/vertebral stenosis. The study found that 96.5% of patients achieved consensus regarding management and 96.4% adhered to MDM advice. This highlights the importance of a collaborative multidisciplinary approach in treating patients with arterial stenosis.