title: Mechanical thrombectomy as the primary treatment for acute basilar artery occlusion: experience from 5 years of practice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Most studies of the treatment for acute basilar occlusion focus on intravenous or intra-arterial thrombolysis whereas data on mechanical thrombectomy as the preferred treatment for acute basilar occlusion are scarce. In this study, data are presented on 28 patients treated with mechanical thrombectomy as the preferred treatment for basilar artery occlusion.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study comprising all patients who were treated for acute basilar occlusion at the Karolinska University Hospital from September 2005 to November 2010. Favorable outcome was defined as a modified Rankin score of ≤2 at 3-8 months after thrombectomy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 28 patients treated with mechanical thrombectomy, the proportion reaching a favorable outcome was 57% (95% CI 37% to 75%), and if there were no signs of acute infarction prior to treatment the proportion was 73% (95% CI 50% to 89%). Only 21% died (95% CI 8% to 41%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results for mechanical thrombectomy for basilar artery occlusion were superior to those presented previously for intravenous and intra-arterial thrombolysis. The study suggests that mechanical thrombectomy is a method distinct from therapies based on thrombolysis and that any randomized clinical trial on treatment for acute basilar occlusion must consider mechanical thrombectomy as a separate entity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Tommy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.forename: Åsa
authors.initials: Å
authors.lastname: Kuntze Söderqvist
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Söderman
authors.forename: Staffan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Holmin
authors.forename: Nils
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wahlgren
authors.forename: Magnus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaijser
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D001488:Basilar Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017131:Thrombectomy / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends*; D016896:Treatment Outcome