Circle of Willis integrity in acute middle cerebral artery occlusion: does the posterior communicating artery matter?

Background: Collateral circulation is an important determinant of outcome in people with acute ischemic stroke due to large vessel occlusion (LVO).

Objective: To explore the impact of the circle of Willis (CW) anatomical characteristics ipsilateral to the occlusion site, particularly the posterior communicating artery (PComA) and the A1-portion of the anterior cerebral artery (A1-ACA), on stroke outcomes in a cohort of patients with LVO and middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion, undergoing endovascular thrombectomy (EVT).

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study performed in a comprehensive tertiary stroke center.