Thrombolytic therapy for cerebral embolism.

SUMMARY: We summarized our clinical experience of thrombolytic therapy for cerebral embolism to evaluate the relation between the prognosis and the occlusion site, and the role of pre-treatment CBF measurement for supratentorial cerebral embolism. 56 cases of thrombolysis were analyzed and results were compaired with conservative medical therapy group. For ICA embolism, we stopped thrombolysis in the early period because of its poor collateral circulation. MCA embolism seemed to be a good candidate for this treatment and results were significantly better than the conservative medical therapy group in good recovery rate, severe disablity rate and large size infarction rate. In basilar artery embolism, thrombolysis seemed to be the most effective treatment in spite of the high mortality rate. Pre-treatment CBF measurement was important and useful to estimate the severity of ischemia, and it could make it possible to avoid severe hemorrhagic complications.