Basilar Artery Occlusion and Emerging Treatments.

Basilar artery occlusion is a relatively uncommon but neurologically devastating condition. If revascularization is not achieved, the potential for death and disability is substantial. During the last several years, there have been positive endovascular stroke trials for the treatment of large vessel occlusion; however, all of them excluded patients with basilar artery occlusion. The current treatment of basilar artery occlusion is still founded on small observational studies or meta-analyses. As case selection for revascularization and treatment protocols often vary widely across institutions, sample sizes remain limited. In this article, we aim to review some of the larger observational studies in stroke due to basilar artery occlusion, considering potential treatment strategies and resultant outcomes.