title: Treatment of symptomatic complex posterior circulation cerebral artery stenosis with balloon-mounted stents: technique feasibility and outcome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to retrospectively analyze a series of patients with complex posterior circulation stenosis who underwent stent-assisted angioplasty to evaluate the feasibility of the procedure and summarize the experience with regard to complications.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 16 consecutive patients with 27 complex posterior circulation artery stenoses refractory to medical therapy were enrolled. Technical success rate, periprocedural complication, and long-term follow-up result were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study population included 16 patients with 27 lesions. A total of 36 stents were successfully implanted. The technical success rate was 100%, and the overall periprocedural complication rate was 12.5% (2/16). During a median of 25.5 months of follow-up, three patients presented recurrent transient ischemic attacks, which were confirmed had restenosis more than 50% by control angiography or transcranial Doppler.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Stent-assisted angioplasty is a feasible treatment method for complex posterior circulation artery stenosis. However, it appears to be associated with a relatively high periprocedural complication rate. Therefore, strict periprocedural management to reduce mortality and morbidity is needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhong-rong
authors.initials: ZR
authors.lastname: Miao
authors.forename: Gui-lin
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hua
authors.forename: Xun-min
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: Li-qun
authors.initials: LQ
authors.lastname: Jiao
authors.forename: Ren-zhi
authors.initials: RZ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ling
mesh_terms: D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D002404:Catheterization / Q000295:instrumentation*; D002539:Cerebral Arterial Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006801:Humans; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015607:Stents; D016896:Treatment Outcome