Local intraarterial fibrinolytic therapy (LIF) in patients with acute vertebrobasilar occlusion (AVBO) is a rational and, if successful, life saving treatment. The recent progress in this field is determined by the use of microcatheters for superselective basilar artery catheterisation and a "short-time, high-dose" regimen using 750,000 IU urokinase in not more than 2 h. Two out of 7 patients died and 1 did not improve to a better than a locked-in-state. Four patients, however, survived with excellent outcome.
