Angioplasty and stenting in symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis: influence of stent design on feasibility and procedural outcome

Purpose: To evaluate the device related safety and feasibility of different stent designs for intracranial angioplasty and stenting ICAS in medically refractory intracranial athersclerotic disease. Methods: We retrospectively analysed the angiographic and acute clinical outcome of 80 consecutive patients (mean age 63 years, 79% male) that underwent ICAS at our department from April 2000 to May 2007. All patients had angiographically proven symptomatic arteriosclerocic stenosis (>50%) of the intracranial vessels (anterior circulation, n=26; vertebro-basilar complex, n=54), responsible for recurrent TIA or stroke…