A review of 100 consecutive reconstructions of the distal vertebral artery for embolic and hemodynamic disease.

PURPOSE: The aim of our study was to assess the outcome of distal vertebral artery (VA) reconstructions through a retrospective review conducted at a university-affiliated referral center.
METHODS: One hundred consecutive distal VA reconstructions had been performed during a period of 14 years (98 patients) and included reversed saphenous vein bypass from the ipsilateral common, internal, or external carotid to the third portion of the VA at the C1-2 level (68 reconstructions) or the C0-1 level (4); transposition of the external carotid or its occipital branch to the VA (23); and transposition of the third portion of the VA onto the internal carotid artery (2). Other methods were used in 3 additional patients. Eighteen patients underwent concomitant carotid operations, and 1 patient underwent a concomitant subclavian transposition. Symptoms were present in 98% of patients and included vertebrobasilar ischemia (89%), vertebrobasilar plus hemispheric ischemia (7%), and hemispheric ischemia (2%). Two asymptomatic patients with bilateral carotid occlusions underwent operations to provide a single artery for cerebral perfusion (2%). Sixty-three lesions were atherosclerotic, 18 were dynamic bony compressions, and 14 were dissection, fibromuscular dysplasia, arteritis, or aneurysm. Five had miscellaneous anatomic indications.
RESULTS: Stroke caused the four perioperative deaths that occurred. There was one occurrence of nonfatal hemispheric stroke. Routine postoperative arteriography identified 16 graft abnormalities; 11 patients underwent attempted revision. The introduction of the use of intraoperative angiography in 1990, halfway through the series, lowered the incidence of graft abnormalities from 28% to 4% and the incidence of perioperative death from 6% to 2%. Eighty-seven percent of patients had complete or significant resolution of symptoms. Follow-up ranged from 1 to 168 months (mean, 79 months). Ten patients were lost to follow-up. Twenty late deaths occurred; none were stroke related. Five reconstructions required late revision. The cumulative primary patency at 5 and 10 years was 75% +/- 6 and 70% +/- 7 (mean +/- SE), respectively; cumulative secondary patency was 84% +/- 5 and 80% +/- 6 at 5 and 10 years, respectively. Median survival was 107 months.
CONCLUSIONS: Distal VA reconstruction provides excellent long-term patency and stroke protection. Intraoperative angiography is mandatory.