Thrombolysis, angioplasty and stenting of acute basilar artery occlusion in an octogenarian.

We present a case of an elderly male with sudden onset of a posterior circulation stroke that rapidly progressed to a deteriorating level of consciousness. Despite a dismal prognosis due to his age, the cause of his stroke, and his rapid clinical deterioration, he had an exceptional outcome. We attribute his favorable outcome to a number of factors including his good premorbid health, his timely presentation for definitive diagnosis and treatment, and rapid re-establishment and maintenance of flow in his occluded basilar artery using several endovascular techniques. The case report is exemplary of what may be achieved in elderly patients with acute posterior circulation stroke in contradistinction to what has been previously thought to be a universally fatal disease.