Background: To describe a rare presentation of ischemic stroke secondary to angioinvasive mucormycosis and endovascular retrieval of mycotic thrombus with stenting of the compressed vessel.
Summary of case: We report a case of angioinvasive mucormycosis that externally compressed and invaded the internal carotid artery causing ischemic cerebral infarction. A sample of the thrombus was obtained using a stent retriever. Subsequent pathological analysis was shown to be consistent with the diagnosis of angioinvasive mucormycosis. The thrombosed and compressed segment was recanalized with the deployment of a stent.
Conclusions: The endovascular placement of an expandable stent in the setting of angioinvasive mucormycosis restored good cerebral blood flow in a proximal internal carotid artery occlusion. The patient's aphasia resolved following this intervention. Artifacts of CT angiography may result in the overestimation of acute arterial occlusions. Endovascular carotid stenting may be a palliative measure in the setting of angioinvasive rhino-cerebro-orbital mucormycosis.