Currently, there is no consensus considering the safety, efficacy, and also selected approaches of endovascular intervention for these patients. This systematic review evaluates the literature on endovascular thrombolysis (EVT) in cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) patients.

CVST is an uncommon but fatal cause of stroke worldwide. Endovascular treatments could be life-saving in patients who don't treat with anticoagulants as a mainstay of treatment.

A comprehensive search was conducted through PubMed and Scopus databases between 2010 and 2021, with additional sources identified through cross-referencing. The primary outcomes were the safety and efficacy of EVT in CVST, including catheter-related and non-catheter-related complications, clinical outcomes, and radiological outcomes.

A total of 10 studies comprising 339 patients were included. Most of the patients presented with headaches (86.72%) and/or focal neurologic deficits (45.43%) (modified Rankin Scale of 5 in 55.88%). Acquired coagulopathy and/or consuming estrogen/progesterone medication were the most frequent predisposing factors (45.59%). At presentation, 68.84% had multi-sinus involvement, and 28.90% had venous infarcts and/or intracranial hemorrhage (ICH). The overall complication rate was 10.3%, with a 2.94%, 1.47%, and 1.17% rate of ICH, herniation, and intracranial edema, respectively. The complete and partial postoperative radiographic resolution was reported in 89.97% of patients, increasing to 95.21% during the follow-up. Additionally, 72.22% of patients had no or mild neurologic deficit at discharge, rising to 91.18% at the last follow-up. The overall mortality rate was 7.07%.

EVT can be an effective and safe treatment option for patients with refractory CVST or contraindications to systemic anticoagulation.