Purpose: To evaluate the clinical and morphological effectiveness of sirolimus-eluting stents in patients with stenoses in the extracranial vertebral artery and to assess the 6-month results.
Materials and methods: Sirolimus-eluting stents were implanted in 8 stenoses of the extracranial vertebral artery in 7 patients with symptoms of vertebrobasilar insufficiency. Seven stenoses were located at the ostium, and one further cranially in segment V 1. The mean grade diameter of the stenoses was 85.1 % (60.9 % - 98.3 %). Clinical and angiographic follow-up was performed over a period of 6 months in all patients.
Results: All lesions were successfully stented with a residual stenosis of 20.2 % (0.0 - 38.5 %). Clinically, all patients showed resolution or improvement of the symptoms after stenting. After 6 months, 5 of the 8 stenoses developed intimal hyperplasia with a stenosis grade > 50 %. The mean measured grade of stenosis after 6 months was 56.2 % (0.0 - 94.1 %). Five patients had no clinical symptoms of a vertebrobasilar insufficiency while two had recurrent symptoms.
Conclusion: Sirolimus-eluting stents in the extracranial vertebral artery have a high and unsatisfactory re-stenosis rate after 6 months.