Intravascular stent implantation in treating patients with symptomatic vertebral artery kinking / 中国医师进修杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate the feasibility and safety of stent implantation in treating patients with symptomatic vertebral artery kinking. Methods Forty-two patients with vertebral artery kinking confirmed by digital subtraction angiography and accorded with the stent implantation indications were chosen in our study; these patients were performed stent implantation. The stenosis and haemodynamics changes, and recent and postoperative complications were observed; Malek scale was adopted to evaluate the clinical efficacy during the 1-year follow-up. Results The success rate of stent implantation for patients with symptomatic vertebral artery kinking was 100%(42/42). The percentage of stenosis was significantly reduced from (75.6 ± 13.5)%to (8.3 ± 3.1)%after stenting, and the mean flow velocity of kinking lesion was obviously decreased from (49.5 ± 12.4) cm/s to (31.7 ± 15.0) cm/s, and there were statistical differences (P<0.01). The cerebellum hematoma was noted in 1 patient , subcutaneous hematoma of puncture point appeared in 2 and femoral artery pseudoaneurysm after the stenting in 1;all these complications did not cause serious consequences. Malek scale indicated that 36 cases got 1 point,4 cases got 2 points, 1 case got 3 points, 1 case got 4 points and no one got 5 points;36 patients (85.7%, 36/42) were asymptomatic during the 1-year follow-up;no significant in-stent restenosis was found. Conclusions Symptomatic vertebral artery kinking can be treated safely and effectively with stent implantation.