Ahead of Print: Long-Term Angiographic and Clinical Outcome Following Stenting by Flow Reversal Technique for Chronic Occlusions Older Than 3 Months of the Cervical Carotid or Vertebral Artery

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BACKGROUND: Long-term angiographic and clinical outcome following stenting by flow reversal technique (FRT) for chronic occlusions (COs) of the cervical internal carotid artery (ICA) or vertebral artery (VA) is unknown.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of our retrospective study was to investigate the feasibility, safety and long-term outcome of stenting by FRT for COs of the cervical ICA or VA.

METHODS: Included for analysis were patients (1) who underwent stenting for CO older than 3 months of the ICA or VA by FRT, and (2) who finished at least one-year follow-up angiographic and clinical investigation. Criteria of stenting for CO in the ICA or VA were patients (1) who experienced minor strokes, a transient ischemic attack, or transient symptoms probably due to hemodynamic compromise or insufficiency, (2) with angiographic complete occlusion of the ICA or VA, and (3) with occlusion limited in the cervical area of the affected artery.