Transcranial duplex monitoring discloses hemorrhagic complication following rt-PA thrombolysis.
BACKGROUND
Transcranial color-coded sonography (TCCS) allows imaging of basal cerebral arteries as well as brain parenchyma. It may therefore serve to monitor thrombolysis in acute stroke.


METHODS
rt-PA thrombolysis was performed in a patient, suffering from paradoxical embolism causing MCA occlusion. Hemorrhage immediately after completion of rt-PA infusion as well as delayed MCA recanalization could be monitored by TCCS.


CONCLUSIONS
TCCS is useful to improve monitoring and safety of systemic thrombolytic treatment.
Kaps
M
M
Department of Neurology, Medical University of Lübeck, Germany.
Seidel
G
G
Gerriets
T
T
Traupe
H
H
D000328:Adult; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D002542:Intracranial Embolism and Thrombosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D009460:Neurologic Examination / Q000187:drug effects; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; D017585:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial; D016474:Weight-Bearing
D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator