Angioplasty and Stenting for Cerebrovascular Disease: Current Status

Only 10 years ago, a review of the use of stents to treat cerebrovascular disease would have resulted in a limited report. Currently, however, stents increasingly are used in clinical practice, and this trend is expected to grow exponentially as a result of constant technologic improvements and refinements and cross-fertilization from several fields of medicine, science, technology, business, and industry. Cerebrovascular conditions, which so far have been demonstrated to, and may benefit from the use of stents, include atheromatous disease, broad-based cerebral aneurysms, arterial dissections, and venous occlusive disease causing increased intracranial pressure.