Intra-arterial thrombolysis in basilar artery occlusion and recent haemorrhagic stroke due to arteriovenous malformation.

We report the case of a young patient suffering from a severe ischaemic stroke due to basilar artery occlusion occurring during selective digital subtraction angiography. This examination was performed in order to assess an arteriovenous malformation in posterior cerebral artery territory responsible for haemorrhagic stroke occurring 17 days before. Intra-arterial thrombolysis with urokinase was performed and basilar artery recanalization was obtained 8 h after stroke onset. Despite the severe neurological impairment, the prolonged symptoms of ischaemia and the high bleeding risk due to the recent cerebral haemorrhage in the same vascular territory involved in thrombolysis, the treatment determined a very favourable clinical outcome.