Preliminary results of intracranial angioplasty for vascular stenosis caused by atherosclerosis and vasculitis.

PURPOSE To evaluate the results of balloon angioplasty of 17 stenoses resulting from intracranial atherosclerosis and vasculitis.

METHODS Seventeen skull-base and intracranial lesions were dilated with a microballoon angioplasty catheter.

RESULTS Initially, 16 of the 17 stenoses showed improvement at angiography. Moderate residual stenosis was found in 2 of 12 atherosclerotic lesions, both in the distal vertebral artery. Angioplasty in 1 of 12 atherosclerotic lesions caused worsening of the stenotic site, also in the distal V4 region of the vertebral artery. All but one of the patients improved clinically. However, all five lesions caused by acute vasculitis progressed to occlusion after initial improvement.

CONCLUSION Intracranial percutaneous transluminal angioplasty is a viable nonsurgical option for the treatment of atherosclerotic vascular insufficiency, but it may not be as successful in treating lesions caused by vasculitis in the acute phase.