title: Endovascular treatment of vertebral artery-origin and innominate/subclavian disease: indications and technique.
abstract: Approximately 20% to 40% of patients who have cerebral vascular disease have a vertebral artery-origin stenosis. Atherosclerotic lesions of vertebral arety origin are a potential cause of posterior circulation ischemia, which can be disabling or deadly. Endovascular treatment of vertebral artery-origin and innominate/subclavian artery stenosis has changed in the last 15 years. Surgery usually is successful technically; however, it is also associated with high rates of procedural and periprocedural complications. New techniques and technologies that can be used in the treatment of such lesions are being developed. In this article, the authors discuss the indications, technical aspects, and long-term results of angioplasty and stenting of these vessels.
authors.affiliation: Division of Interventional Neuroradiology, Gray 241, Massachusetts General Hospital - Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA. gdabus@partners.org
authors.forename: Guilherme
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dabus
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Moran
authors.forename: Colin P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Derdeyn
authors.forename: Dewitte T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Cross
mesh_terms: D000800:Angioplasty, Balloon / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D016122:Brachiocephalic Trunk; D006801:Humans; D015607:Stents; D013348:Subclavian Artery; D014711:Vertebral Artery; D014715:Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*