Brainstem auditory evoked potentials in basilar artery occlusion.

Brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEPs) were recorded in 10 patients who had basilar artery occlusions. Five patients had abnormal BAEPs during the initial recording. Among the remaining patients, three who underwent follow-up study revealed an abnormality within eight days after the onset. An abnormal CT scan preceded the abnormal BAEPs in seven patients. There were five deaths within seven days after onset; three of these patients displayed an abnormal initial BAEP and two patients had a normal initial BAEP. All five patients with abnormal initial BAEPs had severe disorders of consciousness. Abnormal BAEPs during repetitive measurements indicated the severity of the brainstem damage. Therefore, it was concluded that BAEPs are useful both for making an early diagnosis and for determining the prognosis of the basilar artery occlusion, especially when combined with a CT scan.