Abstract
Balloon-mounted stent placement was performed for intracranial stenosis in 14 patients. The stenoses were located at the internal carotid artery petrous or cavernous portion (C45) in 10 patients, intracranial vertebral artery or basilar artery (VABA) in 3 patients and middle cerebral artery (MC) in 1 patient. MRI plaque image was observed in one patient. As a result, stenoses were improved by 65±20%. There were no ischemic symptoms after surgery in 13 patients. Restenosis was less than 50% in 12 patients. One patient who received a 3×15 mm stent in the basilar artery subsequently developed more than 50% stenosis and additional percutaneous transluminal angioplasty was performed. In one middle cerebral artery with placement of a 2.25×8 mm stent subsequently developed occlusion. The diameter of the vessel near stenosis was 3.9±0.7 mm in C45 stenoses, 3.0±0.3 mm in VABA stenoses and 2.2±0.2 mm in MC stenosis.
In conclusion, balloon-mounted stent placement was effective because sufficient dilatation of vessels was achieved, preventing further ischemia, especially in the petrous and cavernous portion. Stenosis less than 7 mm in length and more than 3 mm in diameter may be treatable using a balloon-mounted stent because the restenosis rate was not high. Vessel wall information will be useful using MRI plaque image.
