Reperfusion Therapy, Cerebral

Basics

Description

  • An ischemic cerebrovascular accident (CVA), or stroke, is sudden interruption of regional cerebral blood supply
  • Cerebral reperfusion therapy involves:
    • Intravenous (IV) thrombolysis with IV recombinant tissue-plasminogen activator (tPA), alteplase
    • Endovascular mechanical embolectomy with a stent retriever

Etiology

  • Thrombotic CVA: Thrombosis from atherothrombotic lesion, hypercoagulable state, sludging
  • Embolic CVA: Acute obstruction by an embolus from elsewhere, such as cardiac mural thrombus, aortic plaque, prosthetic cardiac valve
  • Other occlusive events: Dissection, vasospasm

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