What is the function of the basilar artery?
Abstract. The basilar artery (BA) serves as the main conduit for blood flow through the posterior circulation. It directly supplies the brainstem and cerebellum and provides distal blood flow to the thalami and medial temporal and parietal lobes.
What causes a basilar artery tear?
Most basilar artery strokes are caused by atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). The second-leading cause is clots. Leading risk factors for basilar artery strokes are high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, high cholesterol, coronary artery disease and peripheral vascular disease.
What is a basilar artery dissection?
Basilar artery dissections (BADs) are rare lesions and little is known about its natural history. The clinical presentations of BADs are subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), brain ischemia, and brainstem compression. Ruptured BADs presenting with SAH seemed to have higher mortality rate than unruptured ones.
What 2 arteries give rise to the basilar artery?
The basilar artery is a midline structure formed from the confluence of the vertebral arteries. Terminally, the basilar artery branches to establish the right and left posterior cerebral arteries.
Can you recover from basilar artery stroke?
Patients can experience a near-complete recovery if treatment is provided promptly. However, the time from onset of symptoms to diagnosis in the emergency department is often significantly delayed in basilar artery occlusion, with one study reporting an average total delay of 16 hours and eight minutes [2].
What is the treatment for vertebral artery stenosis?
Surgical treatment Surgery for vertebral artery stenosis can be performed either by endarterectomy or reconstruction. Endarterectomy for atherosclerotic stenosis at the origin and proximal extracranial vertebral artery has been performed via a supraclavicular incision since the early 1960s, with variable success rates.
Can you live with only one vertebral artery?
The vertebral arteries are commonly affected by anatomical variation. This variation ranges from slight asymmetry in arterial diameter between the right and left sides to complete absence of a vertebral artery on one side. Asymmetry in diameter is a common observation, although complete absence of the artery is rare.