Primary stenting for high-grade basilar artery stenosis.

We report two patients with symptomatic high-grade stenosis of the basilar artery refractory to appropriate maximal medical therapy in whom endovascular stenting was performed successfully without preliminary balloon angioplasty. Excellent angiographic results were achieved and there were no procedural or periprocedural complications. The patients were asymptomatic and neurologically intact at a mean clinical follow-up of 6.5 months. Primary stenting of basilar artery stenosis may be an alternative to balloon angioplasty for patients with symptomatic lesions refractory to medical therapy or in whom anticoagulation is contraindicated.