Factors Associated with Procedural Thromboembolisms after Mechanical Thrombectomy for Acute Ischemic Stroke

Background and objective: Procedural thromboembolisms after mechanical thrombectomy (MT) for acute ischemic stroke has rarely been studied. We retrospectively evaluated factors associated with procedural thromboembolisms after MT using diffusion-weight imaging (DWI) within 2 days of MT. Materials and Methods: From January 2018 to March 2020, 78 patients with acute ischemic stroke who underwent MT were evaluated using DWI. Procedural thromboembolisms were defined as new cerebral infarctions in other territories from the occluded artery on DWI after MT. Results: Procedural thromboembolisms were observed on DWI in 16 patients (20.5%). Procedural thromboembolisms were associated with old age (73.8 ± 8.18 vs. 66.8 ± 11.2 years, p = 0.021), intravenous (IV) thrombolysis (12 out of 16 (75.0%) vs. 25 out of 62 (40.3%), p = 0.023), heparinization (4 out of 16 (25.0%) vs. 37 out of 62 (59.7%), p = 0.023), and longer procedural time (90.9 ± 35.6 vs. 64.4 ± 33.0 min, p = 0.006). Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that procedural thromboembolisms were independently associated with procedural time (adjusted odds ratio (OR); 1.020, 95% confidence interval (CI); 1.002-1.039, p = 0.030) and IV thrombolysis (adjusted OR; 4.697, 95% CI; 1.223-18.042, p = 0.024). The cutoff value of procedural time for predicting procedural thromboembolisms was ≥71 min (area under the curve; 0.711, 95% CI; 0.570-0.851, p = 0.010). Conclusions: Procedural thromboembolisms after MT for acute ischemic stroke are significantly associated with longer procedural time and IV thrombolysis. This study suggests that patients with IV thrombolysis and longer procedural time (≥71 min) are at a higher risk of procedural thromboembolisms after MT for acute ischemic stroke.