Successful Thrombectomy for Endocarditis-Related Stroke in a Very Young Patient: Illustrative Case

OBJECTIVE: Unlike in older adults, ischemic stroke in young patients occurs secondary to preexisting conditions. Infective endocarditis (IE) is among the most important causes of stroke in young adults and has a severe prognosis. There are few reports of mechanical thrombectomy (MT) for IE-induced large-vessel occlusion (LVO). This paper reports a case of acute IE-induced LVO in a young patient who was successfully treated with MT. CASE PRESENTATION: An 18-year-old woman presented to our hospital with severe headache, high fever, and left fingertip pain. She was admitted to the Department of Neurology for conservative treatment of suspected meningitis. On day 2 of admission, she developed acute left hemiparesis, left hemispatial neglect, and dysarthria. MRA showed occlusion of the right M1 segment of the middle cerebral artery, and the patient immediately underwent MT. After a single pass, we achieved thrombolysis in cerebral infarction 2b. A white clot was diagnosed as a vegetation on pathological examination. As transesophageal echocardiography showed a vegetation on the mitral valve, the patient was diagnosed with IE and underwent cardiovascular surgery. The patient recovered well and underwent additional treatment and rehabilitation. CONCLUSION: Although rare, IE-induced septic emboli may occur in young patients with LVO, necessitating MT and pathological diagnosis of the clot.