title: Vertebral artery dissection complicated by basilar artery occlusion successfully treated with intra-arterial thrombolysis: three case reports.
abstract: Cervical artery dissection is an important cause of stroke in young patients and accounts of 10%-20% of stroke or TIA in patients aged less than 50 years. Basilar artery occlusion (BAO) is an infrequent cause of acute stroke, which invariably leads to death or long-term disability if not recanalized. We describe three patients with BAO caused by vertebral dissection, successfully treated with intra-arterial thrombolysis. The lysis of the occluding embolus was obtained by injection of the thrombolytic drug directly or near the thrombus without haemorrhagic complications. Our cases confirm the safety and efficacy of intra-arterial thrombolysis in patients with BAO due to a vertebral artery dissection.
authors: Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin San Giovanni Battista Hospital, Via Cherasco 15, 10126 Turin, Italy. paolo_cerrato@yahoo.com
authors: Paolo
authors: P
authors: Cerrato
authors: Maurizio
authors: M
authors: Berardino
authors: Edo
authors: E
authors: Bottacchi
authors: Giovanni
authors: G
authors: Corso
authors: Alessandra
authors: A
authors: Lentini
authors: Giovanni
authors: G
authors: Bosco
authors: Eleonora
authors: E
authors: Destefanis
authors: Mariagiovanna
authors: M
authors: Caprioli
authors: Dino
authors: D
authors: Daniele
authors: Gianni Boris
authors: GB
authors: Bradac
authors: Mauro
authors: M
authors: Bergui
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001488:Basilar Artery / Q000473:pathology*; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000209:etiology; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007269:Injections, Intra-Arterial; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013923:Thromboembolism / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D020217:Vertebral Artery Dissection / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator