[Thrombolysis of the basilar artery: 5-year results from the Saarland stroke registry]

Journal article

Acute thrombosis of the basilar artery has a fatal outcome if left untreated. The relatively good prognosis with intra-arterial thrombolysis makes it the therapy of choice for acute basilar thrombosis. In the Saarland stroke registry, we analyzed 47 patients with angiographically proven basilar artery thrombosis within the last 5 years. We observed a better outcome in patients with good income, with recanalization, and a short time between onset of symptoms and start of thrombolysis. The complications, such as intracerebral bleedings, occurred only in the group treated with rt-PA. Intra-arterial thrombolysis with urokinase or rt-PA is a relatively safe therapy, but should be performed in neuroradiological centers. With progressing symptoms the therapeutic window can be stretched up to 12 h, but coma lasting for more than 4 h is related to a bad outcome.

Authors: Grunwald, I; Struffert, T; Roth, C; Papanagiotou, P; Scheuermann, J

• Journal: Der Radiologe
• Volume: 45
• Issue: 5
• Pages: 448-454
• Publication date: 2005-05-01
• DOI: 10.1007/s00117-005-1221-2
• EISSN: 1432-2102
• ISSN: 0033-832X
• Language: German
• Keywords: Thrombolytic Therapy; Acute Disease; Germany; Stroke; Male; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator; Fibrinolytic Agents; Intracranial Thrombosis; Humans; Basilar Artery; Injections, Intra-Arterial; Female; Middle Aged