PREDICTORS OF TREATMENT OUTCOMES IN PATIENTS WITH POSTERIOR CIRCULATION STROKES UNDERGOING THROMBECTOMY

The present study was conducted to identify the predictors of successful treatment and outcomes of thrombectomy in patients who underwent posterior circulation strokes. This retrospective study was conducted in the Neurology Department of Teaching Hospital Rawalpindi from February 2024 to February 2025. A total of 100 patients with posterior circulation strokes of any NIH stroke score who underwent primary aspiration or stent retriever thrombectomy were consecutively selected for the study.The selection of the first-line strategy was done based on previous treatment of patients. When distal aspiration was initially performed and the procedure began with at least one attempt of a stent retriever device, the stent retriever approach was opted. However, in cases where aspiration thrombectomy was initially performed alone with a large-bore aspiration catheter, the primary aspiration approach was considered. Results showed that patients with favourable outcomes had a high recanalization rate (97.5 vs 65%) and a shorter window between symptoms onset and treatment (421 ± 343 minutes vs 636 ± 511 minutes, p=0.022).Multivariate analysis also indicated an association between good outcome and treatment (p=0.009) and recanalization within 6 hours of onset (p=0.0042). It is concluded that a favourable clinical outcome of thrombectomy in patients with posterior circulation strokes was significantly associated with initiation of treatment within 6 hours of onset.