Intra-arterial thrombolysis for basilar artery thrombosis: trial it

Abstract

The poor prognosis for recovery of basilar artery thrombosis has led to the adoption at many institutions of intra-arterial thrombolysis as part of clinical care. However, because neither randomized clinical trials nor observational data provide evidence for treatment efficacy and there are substantial risks and costs associated with this procedure, this treatment should only be performed in the context of a randomized, controlled clinical trial subject to appropriate Institutional Review Board review and independent safety monitoring.