title: Tissue plasminogen activator in a vertebral artery dissection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Spontaneous dissection of the vertebral artery is uncommon.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We report a 49-year-old woman who presented with the rapidly progressing basilar artery syndrome who was given an intravenous dose of tissue plasminogen activator seven hours after the onset of first symptoms. Thirty minutes after the injection, a dramatic recovery of the patient's consciousness and neurological signs was noted.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of intravenous tissue plasminogen activator use in acute vertebral artery dissection.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha 68198-2045, USA.
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Gasecki
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Graffagnino
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hachinski
mesh_terms: D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D002542:Intracranial Embolism and Thrombosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014711:Vertebral Artery / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator