A Rare Case of Persistent ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction Post-Tissue Plasminogen Activator With White Clot...

ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) occurs when vulnerable intravascular plaques rupture and produce eventual occlusion of the coronary circulation. With the increased prevalence of coronary artery disease, STEMIs and NSTEMIs are very well-studied and have generally been known to be caused by red and white thrombi, respectively. STEMIs have been more commonly associated with red clots, while NSTEMIs tend to be caused by white clots. Recent studies have also shown that a third of STEMIs are due to white clot formation, resulting in transmural infarction, most commonly seen at the coronary artery bifurcation. However, no cases of white clot STEMIs post-recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rTPA) administration have been described in the literature. The data regarding the utility of rTPA in lysing white clots is limited, questioning the overall efficacy of rTPA with white clot lysis. This case report presents a patient on depot contraceptive who had a persistent STEMI despite rTPA administration and was found to have formed a white clot, which was extracted on thrombectomy. As this unique presentation and its associated risk factors are explored in the future, we hope that this case report contributes to the body of knowledge in the detection and management of white clot MIs in the context of rTPA efficacy.