Drug-Eluting stents in the treatment of proximal vertebral artery stenosis

The objective of the study was to assess the efficacy of endovascular revascularization with drug-eluting stents in patients with proximal atherosclerotic stenosis of the vertebral arteries. We studied 32 subjects (61±10 years) who underwent 35 interventions of sirolimus- or tacrolimus-coated stent placement (3 patients were operated on both vertebral arteries). Twentyseven (84%) patients were symptomatic. All patients received double antiplatelet therapy after the intervention. The intervention was technically successful in 89% cases. No cases of acute stroke, myocardial infarction or death were seen in the perioperative period. Ultrasound scanning showed that stents remained completely patent. Twenty-nine (91%) subjects with 32 stents were followed-up for a mean period of 9.5 months. No acute strokes in the vertebral basin were reported, although recurrent symptoms were noted in 3 patients. In-stent restenosis was found in 16 (50%) vertebral arteries in 15 patients, and it was asymptomatic in 12 (80%) cases. Restenosis ≥50% (n=13) and re-occlusion (n=3) were seen more often in the tacrolimuseluting stents compared to the sirolimus-eluting stents (10 out of 14 cases [71%] vs. 6 out of 18 cases [33%], р=0.1794). Stent damage followed by restenosis was reported in 2 arteries (6%). Recurrent stenosis was seen more often in men (р=0.0173). To conclude, stenting of the extracranial portion of the vertebral artery is safe and clinically effective. Usage of drug-eluting stents cannot help solving the problem of reducing the high risk of restenosis in the late postoperative period.