Combined Treatment with Intravenous Abciximab and Intraarterial tPA Yields High Recanalization Rate in Patients with Acute Basilar Artery Occlusion

BACKGROUND The best therapeutic approach in patients with acute basilar artery occlusion (BAO) remains unclear. We report the results of a combined treatment approach with intravenous (IV) abciximab and intraarterial (IA) tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) in these patients. METHODS We prospectively studied patients with acute BAO on CT‐angiography or MR‐angiography. We treated patients with IV abciximab followed by IA thrombolysis with tPA....