Thrombolysis for Ischemic Stroke during Pregnancy: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Abstract

Background and purpose: Our knowledge of the safety of thrombolytic therapy in pregnancy stems from individual case reports and series. We report the successful use of intravenous alteplase (tissue plasminogen activator; tPA) thrombolysis in a pregnant woman with acute cardioembolic stroke presumed to be paradoxical embolism through a patent foramen ovale.

Methods: A literature review found several case reports and case series of pregnant patients treated with either intravenous or intra-arterial tPA for acute ischemic stroke.

Results: A literature review yielded 10 cases of intravenous tPA administration and 5 cases of intra-arterial tPA. In total, there were 3 cases of asymptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage and 1 case of maternal and fetal death.

Conclusions: Our patient improved clinically with no residual deficits. There was no evidence of placental or fetal injury following administration of tPA on follow-up obstetrical evaluations.

Keywords: Ischemic stroke; alteplase; pregnancy; tPA; thrombolysis.