Microcatheter infusion of bolus-dose tirofiban for acute ischemic stroke due to distal intracranial artery occlusion

The utility of endovascular thrombectomy for acute occlusion of the distal intracranial artery (A2/A3/M2/M3/P2/P3) is unclear, and aspiration and stent thrombectomy are associated with risk of bleeding. We analyzed patients with acute occlusion of the distal intracranial artery to assess the safety and efficacy of microcatheter-based tirofiban infusion. We retrospectively reviewed data of the endovascular thrombectomy registry of our center between January 2018 and June 2019. Patients with distal intracranial artery occlusion who underwent endovascular thrombectomy with microcatheter-based infusion of tirofiban were recruited. Of 13 patients included, 1 presented with anterior cerebral artery occlusion, 2 with posterior cerebral artery occlusion, 2 with posterior inferior cerebellar artery occlusion, and 7 with middle cerebral artery M2 occlusion. The mean National Institute of Health Stroke scale score was 10.1 (3–19). Three patients (23.1%) underwent bridging treatment of intravenous thrombolysis with recombinant plasminogen activator and endovascular thrombectomy. The arithmetic mean onset-to-recanalization time was 696.3 minutes (140–1440) and average operating time was 47.1 minutes (30–80). After treatment, 10 patients (76.9%) underwent revascularization. No operative complications were observed in any case. All patients underwent angiography and were reviewed 7 to 14 days after surgery. Imaging revealed significant improvements in recanalization compared with the immediate postoperative period, with no reoccurrence of occlusion. The mean modified Rankin scale score at the 3-month follow-up was 0.54 (0–2). Microcatheter-based infusion of bolus-dose tirofiban can result in safe and effective recanalization of acute occlusion of the distal artery in the case of a relatively light thrombotic load.