title: Transcranial color-coded sonography in basilar artery stenting.
abstract: Basilar artery (BA) stenting is an emerging technique with promising results in revascularization of severe arteriosclerotic stenoses. Because of the limitations associated with other noninvasive techniques, we applied transcranial color-coded sonography (TCCS) in the follow-up. Successful stent application in two cases of acute basilar occlusion caused by thrombosis on pre-existing severe midbasilar stenoses was initially confirmed by angiography. Later recanalization was controlled noninvasively by magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), computed tomographic angiography (CTA) and TCCS. Ultrasound (US) was performed through the transtemporal bone window; a contrast-enhancing agent had to be used in one case. TCCS showed an orthograde flow in the distal BA in both patients without signs of severe stenoses. Transtemporal TCCS was demonstrated to be a noninvasive bedside technique in monitoring the patency of the BA after stenting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg 79106, Germany. OEHM@nz.ukl.uni-freiburg.de
authors.forename: Eckard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Oehm
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Els
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Spreer
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kassubek
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hetzel
mesh_terms: D001488:Basilar Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015607:Stents; D017585:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial; D014715:Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*