Autologous heparinized oxygenated blood reperfusion in acute ischemic stroke caused by infective endocarditis: a case report.

PURPOSE: Cerebral infarction secondary to septic embolism is a lethal complication of infective endocarditis. However, its effective treatment has not been well defined in the previous literature. CASE REPORT: We presented a patient suffering from right middle cerebral artery (MCA) embolism with left hemiplegia and infective endocarditis, who was once treated with intra-arterial thrombolysis with autologous heparinized arterial blood successfully. The patient recovered well with muscle power improvement significantly, but was attacked by another septic embolization with mycotic aneurysm rupture of left side MCA and intracranial hemorrhage. Despite of emergent decompressive craniectomy the patient died of this complication on the 25th day of his hospitalization. CONCLUSION: In this case, we demonstrated the safety and effectiveness of the autologous heparinized arterial blood in recanalization of the occluded vessel.