Stent retriever thrombectomy in the treatment of basal artery stent thrombosis: Two case reports.

RATIONALE: Stent thrombosis is a rare but serious complication that requires timely treatment. Catheter thrombectomy is the first-line therapy for this condition; however, it may be challenging for patients with in-stent emboli located in the basilar artery.

PATIENT CONCERNS: Herein, we reported 2 cases with stent thrombosis in the vertebrobasilar artery, including their imaging and clinical findings. Both patients were successfully treated with stent retriever thrombectomy.

DIAGNOSIS: The presence of cerebral infarction was diagnosed by magnetic resonance. Cranial computed tomography excluded cerebral hemorrhage, and basilar artery occlusion was considered in combination with the medical history.

INTERVENTIONS: After cerebral angiography confirmed basilar artery occlusion, the stent thrombectomy was used to remove the thrombus.

OUTCOMES: The emboli were removed from the stent, and the angiography confirmed that the blood flow in the posterior cerebral circulation was recovered to TICI level 3. Moreover, all symptoms disappeared.

LESSONS: Cerebral vascular stent thrombectomy is a feasible approach for treating cerebral vascular stent thrombosis.