Basilar artery rethrombosis: successful treatment with platelet glycoprotein IIB/IIIA receptor inhibitor.

We describe the use of abciximab to prevent rethrombosis of the basilar artery after transluminal angioplasty. A 60-year-old patient with vertebral basilar insufficiency and acute occlusion of the basilar artery underwent revascularization with urokinase and angioplasty. Despite the repeated use of urokinase and angioplasty under anticoagulation with heparin, the basilar artery immediately rethrombosed. In a final attempt to prevent rethrombosis, abciximab was administered before the final angioplasty, resulting in a widely patent basilar artery and no rethrombosis.