Corkscrew Angiopathy of the Basilar Artery: A Case Report

A vascular malformation is an abnormal development of blood vessels that can be found in arteries, veins, or the lymphatic system. While pathology such as aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), dissections, and dolichoectasia have been documented frequently and linked to an increased incidence of stroke, we present a rare finding of a ‘corkscrew’ appearance of the basilar artery causing recurrent posterior circulation symptoms. Imaging during 3 separate hospitalizations showed recurrent acute strokes within the basilar artery vascular territory. A conventional cerebral angiogram revealed a corkscrew appearance of the basilar artery with no dilatation, outpouching, or aneurysm.