Long-term clinical and angiographic outcome from angioplasty and stenting for intracranial stenosis.

Background: Severe intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis (ICAS) is a major cause of stroke. Although percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting (PTAS) treatment methods have increased over the last decade as alternative therapies, there is debate regarding the best method of treatment, with medical and surgical therapies often suggested.

Methods: We analyzed the long-term follow-up results from 5 years of intracranial stenting for intracranial stenosis from three stroke centers.