Eighteen patients underwent endovascular treatment of carotid and vertebral dissections using intraluminal
stent placement. Five patients with
arterial dissection were treated, 2 using one insertion of a single
stent and 3 using placement of two
stents. Patients with a
dissecting aneurysm were treated as follows: 7 patients with insertion of one
stent, 4 with placement of two
stents, and 2 by
stent-assisted Guglielmi detachable coil embolization. In the 18 patients in whom stenting was attempted, the overall success in reaching the target lesion was 94.4%. Of the 17 patients treated with
stents,
stent release and positioning were considered optimal in 16 (94%) and suboptimal in one (6%). In patients who underwent a successful procedure, all parent arteries were preserved. There were no instances of postprocedural ischemic attacks, new
neurologic deficits, or new minor or major
strokes prior to
patient discharge. In follow up, all patients were assessed, using the modified Rankin scale, as functionally improved or of stable clinical status. The reduction in dissection-induced
stenosis or
pseudoaneurysm, the patency rate obtained at follow-up, and the lack of
strokes (ischemic or hemorrhagic) suggest that
stent placement offers a viable alternative to complex surgical bypass or reconstructive procedures. The long-term efficacy and durability of
stent placement for
arterial dissection remain to be determined in a larger series.