Hawkes MA, et al. - Due to the largely unknown long-term results and stroke recurrence following basilar artery occlusion (BAO), researchers evaluated these variables in a comparatively large series of consecutive individuals. Since 1976 until 2011, adults with acute BAO were identified retrospectively. Utilizing Kaplan–Meier and log-rank tests, exploratory analysis of survival was performed. Using Cox models, factors related to survival time were determined. Study participants included 86 individuals (median age 72 [interquartile range (IQR), 60–79] years) with a median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score of 11 (IQR, 6–27). During the initial hospitalization, 29 patients (34%) died. During hospitalization, 17 patients had recurrent strokes and after discharge, 12 patients had 19 recurrent strokes. The authors discovered that BAO survivors had a severe short-term functional disability. In the first year after the initial event, most deaths and stroke recurrences occurred. In older and more disabled survivors, the risk of death was higher. Favorable long-term recovery, however, was possible.