Proximal basilar artery hemorrhage after submaximal angioplasty for intracranial atherosclerotic disease presenting as a large vessel occlusion treated with pipeline embolization device

Abstract

Iatrogenic vessel perforation from endovascular intervention is a devastating complication that commonly is treated with vessel sacrifice. We present a unique case of an iatrogenic proximal basilar artery perforation after submaximal angioplasty in a 67-year-old male presenting with an acute basilar artery occlusion with underlying intracranial atherosclerotic disease. Telescoping flow-diverting stents were then deployed to reconstruct the vessel wall with resulting active hemorrhage resolution. Our case documents a successful deployment of flow-diverting stents with resolution of active hemorrhage after an iatrogenic basilar artery perforation.