Treatment of ischemic stroke complicating cardiac catheterization with systemic thrombolytic therapy

Rod Serry1, Sotirios Tsimikas, Steven G Imbesi

  • 1Division of Cardiology, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, California, USA.

Insights

Systemic thrombolytic therapy successfully treated a rare cerebellar ischemic stroke during cardiac catheterization. This approach should be considered for similar acute stroke complications during cardiac procedures.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Cardiology
  • Vascular Medicine

Background:

  • Ischemic stroke is a rare but serious complication associated with cardiac catheterization.
  • Cerebellar strokes can lead to severe neurological deficits, including obtundation.

Observation:

  • A case report details a patient experiencing obtundation due to a cerebellar stroke during elective cardiac catheterization.
  • The patient had underlying bilateral vertebrobasilar disease, likely leading to thrombotic embolization.

Findings:

  • Systemic thrombolytic therapy was administered and successfully resolved the acute ischemic stroke.
  • This treatment highlights the potential efficacy of thrombolysis in this specific clinical scenario.

Implications:

  • Systemic thrombolytic therapy is a viable treatment option for acute ischemic stroke occurring during cardiac catheterization or percutaneous coronary intervention.
  • Early consideration of thrombolysis may improve outcomes in patients experiencing this rare complication.

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