Intra-arterial treatment in a child with embolic stroke due to atrial myxoma

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Pediatric Stroke
• Interventional Neurology

Background:

• Arterial ischemic stroke (AIS) is a significant cause of childhood morbidity.
• Timely diagnosis and treatment of pediatric AIS are challenging.
• Current guidelines lack specific recommendations for mechanical thrombectomy in children.

Observation:

• A 14-year-old male presented with a severe acute left hemisphere stroke.
• The stroke was caused by a middle cerebral artery occlusion due to emboli from an atrial myxoma.
• Intravenous thrombolysis did not yield clinical improvement.

Findings:

• Mechanical thrombectomy using a second-generation stent-based device was performed.
• The procedure resulted in successful recanalization of the occluded artery.
• The patient experienced significant clinical improvement post-thrombectomy.

Implications:

• This case represents the first reported use of mechanical thrombectomy in a child with acute embolic stroke secondary to atrial myxoma.
• Mechanical thrombectomy is a viable treatment option for select pediatric embolic strokes.
• Further research is warranted to establish guidelines for mechanical thrombectomy in pediatric stroke.