Mechanical Thrombectomy in the Treatment of Distal Occlusions during Coil Embolization of Ruptured Intracranial Aneurysms

The experience in the management of thromboembolic complications of distal vessels during coil embolization using stent-retrievers in the setting of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is still limited. We report a case of 58-year-old woman with a ruptured small anterior communicating aneurysm who experienced during coil embolization a thromboembolic occlusion of the upper post-bifurcation branch of the middle cerebral artery. Mechanical thrombectomy with a stent-retriever (Solitaire, Covidien, Neurovascular) resulted in complete recanalization of the occluded branch with no ischemic complication. This case should encourage the use of the Solitaire device as an effective rescue strategy in the treatment of distal artery occlusions in the setting of SAH.