Safety and efficacy of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty for intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis.
OBJECTIVE
Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PCTA) is increasingly used to treat extracerebral arterial stenosis. The present study evaluates the safety and efficacy of PCTA treatment of symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis.


METHODS
A series of 22 vessels in 17 patients were treated with PCTA. All patients had recurrent neurological symptoms referable to the stenotic vessel despite optimal medical therapy. Critical (> 70%) arterial stenosis was confirmed by angiogram, and angioplasty was performed with a 3.0- to 3.5-mm Stealth balloon.


RESULTS
The average preangioplasty stenosis (North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial criteria) was 72 +/- 8% (mean +/- SD), with a significant improvement seen after angioplasty; the best angiographic stenosis (after healing of intimal injury, if any) was 43 +/- 24% (P < .001). Overall PCTA was successful in 82% of the vessels. There were two strokes during angioplasty for a 30-day morbidity rate of 9.1% per treated vessel and 11.7% per case. The other 15 patients were clinically evaluated at 3 and 6 months; all cases were without further events. Restenosis was evaluated in 8 patients (12 vessels) with an angiogram at 6 months showing further improvement compared with the initial post-PCTA stenosis (51 +/- 10% versus 37 +/- 21% [P = .05]).


CONCLUSIONS
PCTA may be a beneficial therapy in selected cases of symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis. Further study using a randomized trial is needed.
Clark
W M
WM
Oregon Stroke Center, Department of Neurology, Oregon Health Sciences University, OR 97201, USA.
Barnwell
S L
SL
Nesbit
G
G
O'Neill
O R
OR
Wynn
M L
ML
Coull
B M
BM
D000368:Aged; D000800:Angioplasty, Balloon / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D002537:Intracranial Arteriosclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D007431:Intraoperative Complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; D010091:Oximes; D012008:Recurrence; D012449:Safety; D019690:Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000473:pathology
D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; D010091:Oximes; D019690:Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime