Abstract
Objective: Efficacy of angioplasty and stenting is assessed for treatment of intracranial atherosclerotic lesions.
Methods: Procedural outcome (recurrent ischemic stroke, restenosis, and complications) was retrospectively analyzed in 13 consecutive patients with 14 lesions that underwent intracranial stenting for symptomatic intracranial arterial stenosis.
Results: Average age was 70.1 years (13 males). Lesions treated involved 7 internal carotid arteries (ICA) and 7 vertebrobasilar arteries. Mean±SD pretreatment stenosis was 82.6±10.0%. Successful placement of the coronary stent was achieved in all 14 cases. All ICA lesions were also treated with proximal protection. Three patients treated without proximal protection developed ipsilateral asymptomatic infarction associated with the procedure. Eleven patients were treated in the chronic stage, and all had excellent outcomes (modified Rankin scale [mRS] 0-1). Three patients were treated in the acute stage, of whom one died of pneumonia, one suffered contralateral symptomatic stroke, and another had a poor outcome (mRS 3). Follow-up digital subtraction angiography in 10 lesions detected no restenosis (mean follow-up period, 9.5 months). Recurrent ipsilateral symptomatic stroke (mean follow-up period, 10.8 months) did not occur.
Conclusion: These findings suggest that intracranial stenting with proximal protection is an efficacious treatment option for intracranial atherosclerotic lesions.
