title: Safety and feasibility of drug-eluting stent implantation at vertebral artery origin: the first case series in Asians.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Studies of the safety and efficacy of drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation to treat vertebral artery (VA) ostial stenosis are lacking in the Asian population. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and safety of DES implantation to treat VA ostial stenosis in Asians.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively analyzed the medical and radiologic records of patients receiving VA origin stenting with DES from October 2004 to September 2006 in the National Taiwan University Hospital.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eleven symptomatic patients (9 male; mean age, 72 years) with 11 lesions treated with DES were included. There were eight lesions treated with paclitaxel-eluting stents and three lesions treated with sirolimus-eluting stents. The success rate for implantation of a DES was 100%. The percentage of stenosis was significantly reduced after stenting (86+/-5 to 2+/-4%; p<0.001). No peri-interventional neurologic, vascular, or other medical complications were noted. All patients were asymptomatic at the mean follow-up time of 18.7+/-8.6 months (range, 6-30 months). Two patients received repeat angiography at 4 or 8 months after stenting. No significant in-stent restenosis was found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Symptomatic VA origin stenosis can be treated safely and effectively with DES in Asians.
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Division, Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yen-Hung
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Chi-Sheng
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.forename: Wen-Yi Issac
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Tseng
authors.forename: Ren-Kwan
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yu-Chen
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Mao-Shin
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Mei-Hsing
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.forename: Chia-Lun
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Chao
authors.forename: Yi-Lwun
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: Jiann-Shing
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Jeng
authors.forename: Ping-Keung
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Yip
authors.forename: Hsien-Li
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Kao
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017130:Angioplasty; D000800:Angioplasty, Balloon / Q000009:adverse effects*; D054855:Drug-Eluting Stents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000209:etiology; D014711:Vertebral Artery