Timely Diagnosis of Basilar Artery Occlusion Leading to Improved Outcomes: A Case Report

This is a case report of an 83-year-old female who presented to the emergency department within eight hours of symptom onset. A CT angiogram revealed a distal basilar artery occlusion, as well as a perfusion deficit in the right superior cerebellar artery. Her symptoms fluctuated, and she was started on a heparin drip, but later in the evening her symptoms worsened. A mechanical thrombectomy was performed by interventional radiology. The following morning, most of the patient’s deficits had resolved, and, when seen in the clinic several weeks later, she continued to be asymptomatic. This case report highlights the importance of timely diagnosis and intervention in the management of distal basilar artery occlusion.