Purpose: Stenting and angioplasty of the vertebral artery (VA) is used to treat symptomatic stenosis but the long-term outcomes and complications are unclear. This study evaluated the long-term clinical outcomes and procedure-related complications in patients who underwent extracranial VA stenting and angioplasty, in particular the risks of in-stent restenosis (ISR) and stent fracture.
Methods: This was a retrospective review of consecutive patients suffering from symptomatic extracranial VA stenosis who were treated with balloon-expandable bare metal stents. The clinical and angiographical outcomes were reviewed for procedural complications, recurrent stroke, ISR and stent fracture.
Results: In this study 22 patients (17 male, 5 female) with a mean age of 63.4 years (SD 9.1 years) were included. The median follow-up was 56 months (interquartile range IQR 51.8 months). There were no periprocedural complications. The cumulative ISR risk was 45% with 6 cases detected at 1 year and 3 cases detected at 3 years post operation. The cumulative stent fracture rate at 1 year, 3 years, 5 years and the entire follow-up period were 5%, 15%, 25%, and 30%, respectively. Posterior circulation stroke occurred in 1 patient (4.5%), and 3 patients died of non-cerebrovascular causes during follow-up. Of the patients 2 with ISR and stent fracture required additional treatment.
Conclusion: The long-term ISR and stent fracture risks were high in extracranial VA stenosis treated with balloon-expandable bare metal stents. The risk of stent fracture increased over time during the follow-up period. Further studies should be conducted to clarify the long-term safety and efficacy of extracranial VA stenting.
Keywords: Angioplasty; In-stent restenosis; Stent fracture; Stroke; Vertebral artery stenting.