Central retinal artery occlusion preceding hemispheric ischemic stroke treated with mechanical thrombectomy: A case report

Rationale

Central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) is a form of ischemic stroke that may signal underlying cerebrovascular or cardiac disease. Patient concerns: A 52-year-old man developed sudden, painless vision loss in the right eye. Nine days later, he presented with left-sided weakness and speech difficulty, with a National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score of 8. His medical history included dilated cardiomyopathy, and electrocardiography revealed atrial fibrillation. Diagnoses: Ophthalmologic examination and fluorescein angiography supported right CRAO. Computed tomography (CT) angiography at neurological presentation showed right internal carotid artery occlusion from its origin. CT perfusion demonstrated estimated infarct core and penumbral volumes of 37 and 186 mL, respectively.