Early thrombolysis in stroke due to basilar artery occlusion

Basilar artery occlusion is usually associated with a poor prognosis. Nevertheless, intra-arterial thrombolysis has been shown to improve clinical outcome in selected cases. We report the case of a 29-year-old patient who suffered a severe ischemic stroke due to basilar artery occlusion and who was treated with intra-arterial thrombolysis within 3 h of symptoms onset; treatment was followed by an almost full functional recovery. The young age of the patient, short segment occlusion in the middle tract of the artery, good collateral supply, and early recanalization may account for the favorable prognosis.