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Basilar Artery

arteria basilaris

The basilar artery is the unpaired vessel of the posterior cranial circulation, supplying the pons, cerebellum, midbrain, thalamus, and occipital lobes through its branches. Basilar artery occlusion is a catastrophic stroke with high mortality and morbidity, producing the locked-in syndrome when the pons is infarcted. Endovascular thrombectomy for basilar occlusion is now performed up to 24 hours from symptom onset in selected patients.

Region: Head & Skull

Anatomical Data

Origin, Insertion & Supply

Origin	Union of the two vertebral arteries at the pontomedullary junction

Clinical Relevance

Clinical Notes

Vertebrobasilar TIAs from basilar system disease produce the 5 Ds and 3 Ns: Dizziness, Diplopia, Dysarthria, Dysphagia, Drop attacks, and Nausea, Numbness, Nystagmus. Basilar tip aneurysms are the most surgically complex intracranial aneurysms, located between both posterior cerebral arteries and both superior cerebellar arteries. The basilar artery is accessible endovascularly via the vertebral arteries for thrombectomy and aneurysm coiling.

Pathology

Common Injuries & Conditions

Basilar Artery Occlusion

Posterior circulation catastrophic stroke producing coma, quadriplegia, and locked-in syndrome with high mortality, managed with emergent endovascular thrombectomy within 24 hours of onset.