We report here an autopsy case of massive pontine hemorrhagic infarction se
condary to embolic basilar artery occlusion. A large embolus appeared to ha
ve traversed the vertebral artery into the basilar artery as a result of ba
silarization of the vertebral artery due to severe stenosis of the contrala
teral vertebral artery. Extensive ischemia due to embolic occlusion of the
entire length of the basilar artery, and migration of the embolus are assum
ed to have resulted in a massive pontine hemorrhagic infarction.