Internal carotid artery thrombosis after blunt trauma--salvage therapy with the penumbra thrombectomy system

Associated injuries that place a patient at increased risk for BCI include LeFort II or III fractures, cervical spine fractures (subluxation, fractures into the transverse foramen, fractures of C 1-3), basilar skull fracture involving the carotid canal or sphenoid sinus, diffuse axonal injury with a Glasgow Coma Scale < 6, and near hanging with anoxic brain injury.2 Delayed presentation of clinical manifestations occurs frequently and is probably related to time required for a platelet thrombus to form and either limit flow or embolize. Traditional treatment options include anticoagulation, surgery, and endovascular stenting.3 Although the literature contains numerous reports regarding endovascular stenting of BCI, this case is the only one in which a catheter-based clot retrieval device (Penumbra System) was used to treat carotid artery thrombosis in the setting of BCI.