Stenting for stenoses of the proximal vertebral artery

We report our initial experience of stenting for symptomatic stenoses of the proximal vertebral artery. A total of 25 lesions affecting the proximal vertebral artery were treated by PTA with stent in 23 patients. The lesions involved the vertebral artery ostium in 20 lesions and the nonostial VI portion in five lesions. The mean stenosis rate of those lesions was 81% pre-stenting and was reduced to 4% post-stenting. There were two transient neurological complications: hemiparesis in one patient and visual acuity disturbance in another. Angiographic followup studies more than three months after treatment demonstrated restenosis in three patients. One of these patients was symptomatic. These restenoses were successfully treated by PTA. Our initial results demonstrated that stenting is a feasible and safe method of treating stenosis of the proximal vertebral artery.