Stenting for Stenoses of the Proximal Vertebral Artery

We report our initial experience of stenting for symptomatic stenoses of the proximal vertebral artery. A total of 25 lesions affecting the proximal vertebral artery were treated by PTA with stent in 23 patients. The lesions involved the vertebral artery ostium in 20 lesions and the nonostial V1 portion in five lesions. The mean stenosis rate of those lesions was 81% pre-stenting and was reduced to 4% post-stenting.

There were two transient neurological complications: hemiparesis in one patient and visual acuity disturbance in another. Angiographic follow-up studies more than three months after treatment demonstrated restenosis in three patients. One of these patients was symptomatic. These restenoses were successfully treated by PTA.

Our initial results demonstrated that stenting is a feasible and safe method of treating stenosis of the proximal vertebral artery.

Percutaneous Transluminal Angioplasty (PTA) with Wallstent for Internal Carotid Artery Stenosis. A Case Report

SUMMARY

A 67 year-old male who had suffered from myocardial infarction, was admitted to our clinic to examine his internal carotid artery stenosis revealed by preoperative study for heart surgery. Although he had no neurological symptoms, the angiograms showed severe stenosis of his right internal carotid artery. To improve stenotic internal carotid artery, PTA was performed employing a selfexpanding stent. The stenotic right internal carotid artery was improved from 75% to 11% immediately after the stenting though restenosis mildly occurred up to 16% three months later. No complication occurred during this stenting procedure. Afterwards the patient uneventfully received coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery.