Serry Rod, Tsimikas Sotirios, Imbesi Steven G, Mahmud Ehtisham
Division of Cardiology, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, California, USA.
Catheter Cardiovasc Interv. 2005 Nov;66(3):364-8. doi: 10.1002/ccd.20516.
Ischemic stroke is a rare but serious complication of cardiac catheterization. We report a case in which systemic thrombolytic therapy was successfully utilized in treating a patient with a cerebellar stroke, leading to obtundation during elective cardiac catheterization. Underlying bilateral vertebrobasilar disease with thrombotic embolization to the basilar artery was postulated to be the pathophysiological basis for the stroke and subsequent success of thrombolytic treatment in this patient. As the consequences of this rare complication are severe, systemic thrombolytic therapy should be considered for patients suffering an acute ischemic stroke during cardiac catheterization or percutaneous coronary intervention.
