Internal medicine
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Libman-Sacks endocarditis is an important cause of embolic stroke in systemic lupus erythematosus, although the detailed pathogenesis of stroke remains unclear. We herein report two cases of stroke with Libman-Sacks endocarditis in which the emboli were retrieved by mechanical thrombectomy. ⋯ Immunohistochemistry showed immunoglobulin deposits in the embolus, suggesting that immunological mechanisms were involved in the growth of the embolus. A pathological analysis of the embolus retrieved by mechanical thrombectomy provided useful information on the etiology, leading to optimal treatment.