[Results of vascular surgery treatment of vertebrobasilar insufficiency]

A retrospective analysis of the data of 64 patients with vertebral-basilar insufficiency is presented who were operated between 1980 to 1919 in our institution. Surgery for vertebral-basilar insufficiency comprises only 5.2% of all 1422 supra-aortic reconstructions performed during this period. The leading symptom was vertigo which was present in 41%. Disturbances of vision occurred in 9.8%. 29 bypass procedures and 35 arterial transpositions were performed. A mean follow up of 5.1 years revealed a patency rate of 83.3% in bypass procedures, 92.8% in subclavian transpositions and 100% in vertebral artery transpositions. These good haemodynamic results correlated with marked improvement of the clinical symptoms in 80% of the patients.