Acute Basilar Artery Occlusion: Differences in Characteristics and Outcomes after Endovascular Therapy between Patients with and without Underlying Severe Atherosclerotic Stenosis

A 74-year-old male patient with acute stroke due to acute basilar artery occlusion. A, Left vertebral artery angiogram shows an occlusion (arrow) at the proximal segment of the basilar artery. B, Angiogrm obtained after 1 passage of the stent retriever reveals a severe underlying atherosclerotic stenosis (arrow) at the proximal segment of the basilar artery. C, Left vertebral angiogram obtained after intracranial angioplasty and stent placement shows complete recanalization of the basilar artery with good distal perfusion. Arrows indicate the proximal and distal ends of the Wingspan stent. D, Photograph shows small fragmented thrombi retrieved with a Solitaire stent.