Endovascular reconstruction by means of stent placement in symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis.

Abstract Objective: Patients with intracranial atherosclerosis who fail antithrombotic therapy have a poor prognosis. The high rate of recurrent stroke warrants testing alternative treatments such as intracranial angioplasty. Methods: We present our experience in the treatment of 104 patients (age range, 54–82 years; mean age, 67 years) with symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic stenoses despite medical therapy who underwent stent-assisted angioplasty. Patient records were retrospectively analysed for location and degree of stenosis, regimen of antiplatelet agents, devices used, procedure-related complications and adverse events. Clinical (Modified Rankin Scale) and radiographic outcomes were obtained 24 hours, 1 month and 3–6 months after treatment. Sixty-five lesions (62.5%) were located in the posterior circulation. Mean stenosis was 75.4%. Results: In all patients, the angiographic degree of stenosis was reduced to less than 30%. One stent was implanted in 66 patients (63%), and two or more in 38 p...