Sub-satisfactory stenting recanalization of severe vascular stenosis of the posterior circulation can significantly improve cerebral hemodynamic perfusion.

PURPOSE

To investigate the effect of sub-satisfactory stenting recanalization of severe vascular stenosis of the posterior circulation on cerebral hemodynamic perfusion.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients with severe vascular stenosis of the posterior circulation who had undergone three-dimensional cerebral angiography before and after stenting were retrospectively enrolled. Computational fluid dynamic (CFD) analysis of hemodynamic parameters at the stenosis, perforating branch, and normal arterial segments proximal and distal to the stenosis were performed.

RESULTS

Sixty-two patients with basilar artery stenosis aged 60.9 ± 9.6 years were enrolled, and stent angioplasty resulted in the reduction of stenosis degree from 85.3 ± 7.2% before to 18.6 ± 6.4% after stenting. After stenting, at the proximal normal artery, the total pressures had significantly (P < 0.05) decreased, whereas all the other parameters (WSS, cell Reynolds number, velocity, vorticity, turbulence intensity, turbulence kinetic energy and dissipation rate) had significantly (P < 0.05) increased. At the stenosis, all hemodynamic parameters had significantly decreased. At the stenosis perforating branch, the WSS, cell Reynolds number, velocity, and vorticity were all significantly decreased, and the total pressure, turbulence intensity, kinetic energy, and dissipation rate were all significantly increased. At the distal normal artery, the total flow pressure (perfusion pressure) and velocity were both significantly (P < 0.05) increased, and the total pressure, WSS, cell Reynolds number, vorticity, turbulence intensity, kinetic energy, and dissipation rate were all significantly (P < 0.05) decreased. The hemodynamic parameters after stenting were closer to those after virtual stenosis repair at all measurements.

CONCLUSION

Sub-satisfactory recanalization has significantly restored the stenosis and improved the hemodynamic parameters near the stenosis and at the root of the perforating branch, thus significantly improving the cerebral perfusion, similar to the changes of hemodynamic status and cerebral perfusion after virtual removal of the vascular stenosis. This may indicate the good effect of sub-satisfactory stenting recanalization of the vascular stenosis at the posterior circulation.