# Mechanical thrombectomy in a pediatric patient with antiphospholipid syndrome—a case report

## TL;DR

A 13-year-old girl with antiphospholipid syndrome and a history of stroke underwent mechanical thrombectomy for another stroke and had a positive outcome.

## Contribution

This case highlights mechanical thrombectomy as a potential treatment for pediatric stroke in patients with antiphospholipid syndrome.

## Key findings

- Mechanical thrombectomy was successfully used in a pediatric patient with antiphospholipid syndrome and ischemic stroke.
- The patient had antithrombin III deficiency, indicating the importance of identifying thrombophilia in pediatric stroke cases.
- The procedure led to favorable clinical outcomes, suggesting its potential benefits in reducing disability and mortality in children.

## Abstract

Stroke ranks among the top 10 most common causes of death in children. Recently, there has been a significant increase in the number of strokes in the pediatric population. Mechanical thrombectomy is an uncommon method for treating acute ischemic stroke (AIS) in children. This case report discusses a 13-year-old girl with a history of ischemic stroke for the past 3 months, obesity, hypertension, and antiphospholipid syndrome (APS, treated with rivaroxaban), who suffered another ischemic stroke and underwent mechanical thrombectomy with favorable clinical outcomes. Additionally, the patient was diagnosed with antithrombin III deficiency. It is necessary to identify risk factors for AIS in the pediatric population, such as thrombophilia or autoimmune diseases, such as antiphospholipid syndrome, and to develop guidelines for the use of thrombectomy in children. This method could reduce mortality, improve quality of life, prevent disability, and lower future medical costs.