title: Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting of midbasilar stenoses: three technical case reports and literature review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Symptomatic basilar artery stenosis is a highly morbid disease process. Recent technological and pharmaceutical advances make endovascular treatment of this disease process possible.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report three cases of patients with a symptomatic basilar artery stenosis despite anticoagulation.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients were successfully treated with a flexible coronary stent and perioperative antiplatelet medications without incident. Poststenting angiography demonstrated a normal-caliber artery with patent perforators. In one case, a poststenting cerebral blood flow study revealed improved perfusion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A new generation of stents and balloons makes access to intracranial intradural arterial pathological abnormalities possible. Such devices may well revolutionize the management of ischemic and hemorrhagic intracranial cerebrovascular disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, USA.
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Horowitz
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Pride
authors.forename: D F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Graybeal
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Purdy
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000800:Angioplasty, Balloon; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015607:Stents; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014715:Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors