Evaluation of Interventional Therapy for Patients with Intracranial Vertebral Artery Stenosis by Transcranial Color-Coded Sonography

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of stenting for patients with intra-cranial vertebral artery stenosis by trans-cranial color-coded sonography and to analyze the risk factors of in-stent restenosis (ISR). In total, 121 patients with intra-cranial vertebral artery stenosis stents were included. The follow-up time was 3-12 mo (mean: 9.9 mo). The success rate was 92.6%. Peak systolic velocity and end-diastolic velocity decreased from 261 ± 63 to 109 ± 41 cm/s and from 133 ± 44 to 47 ± 18 cm/s, respectively (both p < 0.001). Peak systolic velocity (245 ± 47 cm/s) and end-diastolic velocity (121 ± 31 cm/s) of patients with ISR (18.9%, 20/106) were higher than those of patients without ISR (101 ± 38 and 44 ± 17 cm/s, respectively) at 12 mo post-procedure (p < 0.05). The length of the stent and residual stenosis were related to ISR. In conclusion, stenting is a feasible treatment method for intra-cranial vertebral artery stenosis. Trans-cranial color-coded sonography can be used for monitoring patients to identify ISR.