Meta-Analysis Evaluates Safety and Efficacy of Mechanical Thrombectomy in Children

August 8, 2023—A meta-analysis showed that mechanical thrombectomy for large vessel occlusion is safe and effective for treating children.

The study, “Comparing Outcomes After Thrombectomy for Acute Ischemic Stroke Due to Large-Vessel Occlusion: Children vs. Adults—A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis,” was presented at SNIS 2023, the Society of NeuroInterventional Surgery’s 20th annual meeting held July 31 to August 4 in San Diego, California.

According to the SNIS press release, investigators reviewed eight studies composed of a total of 192 children who received thrombectomy for stroke. They compared these pediatric patients’ post-thrombectomy improvements with those of adult patients who underwent the same procedure.

The investigators found that children had better outcomes than adults in many of the study’s measures, including a higher rate of good neurological outcomes after surgery (76.1% for children vs 46% for adults), a better rate of restored blood flow (88.5% vs 72.3%), fewer major surgery complications (4.7% vs 30.4%), and a lower mortality rate (1% vs 12.9%).

“Seeing that our best standard treatment for adults with severe stroke is also extremely effective for children is encouraging,” commented Matt Findlay in the SNIS press release. Findlay, who is a medical student at the University of Utah School of Medicine in Salt Lake City, Utah, added, “It’s very meaningful to know that we can safely use this time-tested, minimally invasive procedure to get children back to their families, recovering quickly, and thriving.”