Upon admission to Bai Chay Hospital, the patient suffered from aphasia, and a cerebral angiogram revealed complete occlusion of the basilar artery. This major blood vessel, located at the base of the skull, supplies blood to the brainstem, cerebellum, and numerous vital centers controlling respiration, circulation, heart rate, consciousness, movement, swallowing, speech, and balance. When the basilar artery is completely blocked, the brain experiences severe ischemia, leading to a "neurological storm" that can be fatal in a very short time.

On 23/6, doctor Giap Hung Manh, head of the Neurology Department at Bai Chay Hospital, stated that the emergency endovascular intervention team performed thrombectomy via the arterial route, completely restoring blood flow to the patient. After 5 days of treatment, the patient recovered well, communicated normally, and had no motor sequelae.

"The patient is only 27 years old, in her working age, which is a rare case of stroke in a young person," doctor Manh said.

Imaging showed the patient's basilar artery occlusion. *Photo: Hospital provided*

Arterial occlusion is a condition where blood flow in an artery is blocked by a blood clot or atherosclerotic plaque. These plaques form from fats, cholesterol, calcium, and other substances, accumulating over time on the vessel walls, gradually narrowing or completely blocking the arterial lumen.

Individuals with basilar artery occlusion may suddenly experience symptoms such as severe dizziness, loss of balance, difficulty speaking, difficulty swallowing, weakness or paralysis of all four limbs, altered consciousness, coma, and even cardiac arrest or respiratory arrest. If cerebral blood flow is not restored promptly, the mortality rate can exceed 90%.

The early stage of the condition is often mistaken for vestibular disorders due to similar symptoms, such as headache, nausea, dizziness, and unsteady gait. This confusion can cause patients to miss the "golden hour" for treatment. As symptoms worsen, patients experience difficulty speaking, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, numbness and weakness in all four limbs, and gradual coma, making treatment challenging.

Doctors examining the patient. *Photo: Hospital provided*

Doctors warn that strokes are increasingly affecting younger individuals. When signs such as sudden facial drooping, weakness or paralysis in limbs, difficulty speaking, slurred speech, severe dizziness, loss of balance, severe headache of unknown cause, blurred vision, or altered consciousness appear, it is essential to call emergency services or take the patient to a medical facility immediately.

Thuy Quynh