Takeaway
The presence of cerebral microbleeds prior to endovascular thrombectomy was not associated with intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) or worsened functional/clinical outcomes in people with acute ischemic stroke. Patients with cerebral microbleeds should not be restricted from reperfusion therapies.
Why this matters
Cerebral microbleeds can be detected on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans and indicate the presence of hemorrhage-prone small vessel disease. However, the potential influence of these microbleeds on risk of ICH following endovascular thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke is unknown.