Intracranial angioplasty with Gateway-Wingspan system for symptomatic atherosclerotic stenosis: preliminary results of 27 Chinese patients.
BACKGROUND
We investigated the safety of treatment of symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic stenoses with the Gateway-Wingspan system and its initial effect on prevention of ischemic events.


METHODS
Twenty-seven cases of symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic stenoses were treated with angioplasty with a Wingspan stent. Location of stenoses, extent of stenoses before and after angioplasty, success rate of treatment, occurrence of procedural complications, and changes in recurrence of symptoms of ischemic events 30 days after treatment were recorded.


RESULTS
Twenty-nine angioplasties with the Wingspan system were successfully carried out in 29 stenoses in 27 patients. Of 29 stenoses, 17 were in the posterior circulation, and 12, in the anterior circulation. The degree of stenoses was reduced from baseline 71.8% (56%-87.8%) to 24.9% (0%-45%) after stenting. Complications were seen in four patients (14.8%), 3 of which were lesion-related infarction of a perforated artery, and 1 was a non-lesion-related infarction. Two complications led to transient neurologic dysfunction, one led to defect of the visual field, and one led to hemiplegia. The prevalence of morbidity and serious morbidity were 7.4% and 3.7%, respectively, and no death occurred. No new ischemic events happened during 30 days after stenting.


CONCLUSIONS
Angioplasty with the Wingspan system to treat symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic stenoses appears to be safe. Its initial effect on prevention of ischemic events is acceptable.
Zhao
Zhen-Wei
ZW
Department of Neurosurgery, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, China. zzwzc@sina.com.cn
Deng
Jian-Ping
JP
He
Shi-Ming
SM
Qin
Huai-Zhou
HZ
Gao
Li
L
Gao
Guo-Dong
GD
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015901:Angiography, Digital Subtraction; D000800:Angioplasty, Balloon / Q000295:instrumentation*; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis; D002681:China; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006429:Hemiplegia / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D002537:Intracranial Arteriosclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000175:diagnosis; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015607:Stents; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed