Recanalisation quality, not first-pass effect, drives outcomes in paediatric mechanical thrombectomy: a multicentre prospective study

Introduction

In adult endovascular thrombectomy (EVT), first-pass success is associated with better outcomes, but whether this "first-pass effect" also holds true in childhood stroke remains unknown. We investigated the association of thrombectomy pass counts with 90-day outcomes after paediatric EVT. Patients and methods: We analysed prospectively collected data from the international Save ChildS Pro registry (ages 0-17 years). All EVT-treated patients were included irrespective of the reperfusion grade achieved. Successful reperfusion was defined as expanded thrombolysis in cerebral infarction (eTICI) ≥ 2b and complete/near-complete reperfusion as eTICI 2c-3. The primary outcome was ordinal 90-day mRS in a proportional odds model. Single-pass and multiple-pass patients were then compared with each other within the subgroup achieving eTICI 2c-3. Logistic regression for mRS > 2 was fitted with pass count and eTICI grade as covariates.