Management of tandem occlusions in patients who receive rtPA

Tandem occlusions exist in 17-32% of large vessel occlusion (LVO) strokes. A significant concern is bleeding when carotid stenting is performed in tandem with thrombectomy due the administration of antiplatelet agents such as glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors (GP2b3aI) after receiving rtPA, but data are limited in this setting.

A mutlicenter, retrospective chart review was conducted at two comprehensive stroke centers to assess the safety and efficacy of using GP2b3aI to facilitate carotid stent placement simultaneously with endovascular thrombectomy in patients who have received rtPA.

Overall, 32 patients were included in this study, with average age of 66.3 ± 10.4 years and predominantly male (87.5%). The cause of stroke was mostly large artery atherosclerosis (59.4%) and the thrombectomy target vessels were typically first- or second segment middle cerebral artery (37.5% and 31.3%). Time from symptom onset to rtPA bolus was 1.8 h [interquartile range (IQR) 1.5-2.7], rtPA bolus to first pass was 2 h [IQR 1.5-3.1], rtPA bolus to GP2b3aI bolus was 2 h [IQR 1.6-3.5], and rtPA bolus to aspirin and clopidogrel administration was 4.3 h [IQR 2.6-8.9] and 6.6 h [IQR 4.5-11.6] respectively. No patients had acute in-stent thrombosis or post-op bleeding from the access site. Two patients (6.3%) had significant hemorrhagic conversion.

The use of GP2b3aI in the setting of tandem occlusions that required emergent stent placement post-rtPA appears safe and effective. Given the small sample size, these findings should be interpreted cautiously, and need to be confirmed in a larger patient population.