Mechanical thrombectomy for repeated cerebral tumor embolism from a thoracic sarcomatoid carcinoma

J Neurointerv Surg. 2018 Oct;10(10):e26. doi: 10.1136/neurintsurg-2017-013092.rep. Epub 2018 May 24.

Abstract

Cerebral embolism originating from intracardiac tumors represents a rare cause of stroke and has been documented in both adult and pediatric populations. We present a patient recently diagnosed with a right pulmonary hilum tumor, invading the pulmonary veins and the left atrium. Two consecutive episodes of large cerebral vessel occlusion in separate vascular territories occurred in the same day and were treated by mechanical thrombectomy. Embolic material retrieved on both occasions contained tumor fragments with peripheral endothelialization. To our knowledge, this is the first report with histological confirmation of cerebral embolism from an invasive extracardiac tumor.

Keywords: stroke; thrombectomy; tumor.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Humans
  • Intracranial Embolism / diagnostic imaging*
  • Intracranial Embolism / etiology
  • Intracranial Embolism / surgery*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / pathology*
  • Thoracic Neoplasms / complications
  • Thoracic Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
  • Thoracic Neoplasms / surgery*
  • Thrombectomy / methods*
  • Treatment Outcome