Intra-arterial tPA treatment for basilar artery thrombosis in the combat zone: an example of modern nontrauma medical care in war

Military physicians deploy primarily to care for traumatic injuries. However, critically ill medical patients are also evaluated and treated in theater with similar capability as hospitals in the United States because of the close proximity of medical and surgical specialists and advanced equipment in combat support and theater hospitals. We report a case of a 33-year-old soldier diagnosed with a basilar infarct, treated with fibrinolytics, and reversal of severe neurological deficits while treated in the U.S. operational Afghanistan Theater.