• Masanori Tsutsumi, Kiyoshi Kazekawa, Masanari Onizuka, Tomonobu Kodama, Shuko Matsubara, Hiroshi Aikawa, Minoru Iko, Kouhei Nii, Housei Etou, and Akira Tanaka.
• Department of Neurosurgery, Fukuoka University Chikushi Hospital, 1-1-1 Zokumyoin, Chikushino, Fukuoka, 8188502, Japan.
• Neuroradiology. 2007 Mar 1; 49 (3): 253-7.

IntroductionWe assessed the long-term follow-up examinations and complications of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting (PTAS) for symptomatic ostial vertebral artery (VA) stenosis.MethodsA retrospective study was done to evaluate 12 patients with symptomatic ostial VA stenosis who underwent PTAS. Six patients were treated with the Palmaz stent and six with a balloon-expandable coronary stent. Initial angiographic follow-up examination was conducted about 12 months after PTAS in all patients. Simple radiographic, ultrasonographic and clinical follow-up examinations were scheduled every 6 months.ResultsExcellent dilatation was achieved in all patients without any procedural complications. Initial angiographic follow-up obtained at a mean of 13 months after PTAS detected no restenosis. However, an asymptomatic severe restenosis was detected at 24 months after PTAS in one patient (8%). During a mean follow-up of 31.5 months, three stent fractures were detected in deployed coronary stents (50%). None of the stent fractures was associated with either recurrent stroke or restenosis. No patients developed recurrent symptoms during the follow-up period.ConclusionPTAS for symptomatic ostial VA stenosis is effective in preventing recurrent stroke. As the open-cell single-joint type of stent is associated with the risk of fracture, long-term follow-up examinations including simple radiography are needed.

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