Abilities after Thrombectomy

Evidence regarding the role of early (<24 hours) antithrombotics post-revascularization with either intravenous thrombolysis (IVT), endovascular thrombectomy (EVT), or a combination of both remains scarce. In 2018 the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association changed their recommendation, stating that the risk of antithrombotic therapy within the first 24 hours after treatment with IVT (with or without EVT) is uncertain. This was changed after data emerged that early antithrombotics may be safe and may improve outcomes in select patients undergoing EVT. Recently the investigators showed for the first time that significant residual basilar thrombus can exist after EVT despite complete angiographic revascularization using endovascular optical coherence tomography imaging. This residual thrombus could cause ongoing function-limiting strokes with occlusion of vital basilar perforators after EVT. Therefore, the investigators propose a prospective,non-randomized safety study to evaluate optical coherence tomography guided antithrombotic management for patients with confirmed residual thrombus after EVT for basilar occlusion.