Prolonged low-dose intravenous thrombolysis in a stroke patient with distal basilar thrombus

Patients with high-grade basilar artery stenosis secondary to thromboembolism are at high risk of developing subsequent vessel occlusion. Optimal medical management of this condition is unclear.

We present a patient with a small subacute brain stem infarction and filiform distal basilar residual lumen attributable to arterioarterial or cardiogenic embolism. Beginning 3 days after symptom onset, low-dose intravenous thrombolysis with 0.125 mg/kg recombinant tissue plasminogen activator was continuously infused for 48 hours. Follow-up magnetic resonance angiography revealed complete resolution of the embolus. No further cerebral ischemic episodes occurred during 3-month follow-up, and the basilar artery remained patent.

Our observation suggests a potential for prolonged low-dose intravenous thrombolysis in basilar artery embolism, but further data are needed to judge the effectiveness and risk of this intervention.