Favorable Outcomes in Endovascular Therapy for Basilar-Artery Occlusion.

Basilar-artery occlusion accounts for approximately 10% of ischemic strokes caused by intracranial large-vessel occlusion and is associated with the highest morbidity and mortality among all strokes.(1,2) Patients with basilar-artery occlusion have largely been excluded from acute stroke trials. However, well before the efficacy of endovascular therapy was shown in patients with anterior-circulation large-vessel occlusion, many patients with basilar-artery occlusion were being treated by thrombectomy.(3,4) Two preceding randomized trials were the bases for establishing power calculations and anticipating adverse events in trials involving patients with basilar-artery occlusion. The Basilar Artery International Cooperation Study (BASICS), the results of which have been previously . . .