Mechanical endovascular procedure for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke caused by total detachment of a papillary fibroelastoma

Papillary fibroelastomas (PFEs) are rare cardiac tumors. Despite their benign nature, they are associated with a high risk of embolic complications including stroke. Endovascular treatment has been reported as a safe procedure in patients with myxoma, the most common type of primary cardiac tumor. A case of ischemic stroke due to embolization of a PFE successfully treated with a single pass of a retrievable stent is described. A 64-year-old patient with a right middle cerebral artery syndrome was treated with an intravenous and endovascular protocol as a revascularization procedure. Mechanical thrombectomy resulted in total recanalization with clinical improvement. Histological examination of the clot showed pathological features of a typical PFE. The endovascular treatment was safe and effective. With mechanical embolectomy it is possible to obtain and analyze pathological specimens, enabling the diagnosis of uncommon strokes.