Summary of dependent variables in 10 consecutive patients who underwent basilar artery stenting for symptomatic athero-occlusive disease
| Variables |
|---|
| Patient-related variables |
| Age >70 years |
| Sex |
| Pre-existing history of diabetes |
| Pre-existing history of significant heart disease |
| Indication for stenting |
| Rate of onset of index event (abrupt vs progressive) |
| Recent failed balloon angioplasty |
| Preoperative acute/subacute infarction |
| Technique-related variables |
| Experience (procedure performed 1999–2000 versus 2001–2003) |
| Primary stenting (versus pre-dilation of target lesion with angioplasty balloon) |
| More than one stent implanted |
| Type of anesthesia (general versus conscious sedation) |
| Major branch artery jailed by stent construct |
| Residual stenosis <20% |
| Perioperative antithrombotic therapy |
| Preloaded with clopidogrel before procedure |
| Intraoperative anticoagulation with documented activated clotting times ≥250 seconds |
| Intraoperative IIb/IIIa inhibitors |
| Postoperative IIb/IIIa inhibitors ≥12 hours |
| Postoperative anticoagulation with heparin and/or warfarin for ≥48 hours |
| Postoperative maintenance therapy with dual antiplatelet agents |
| Anatomic characteristics |
| Lesion location |
| Lesion extension across basilar artery branch ostia |
| Number of patent vertebral arteries contributing to basilar circulation |
| At least moderate stenosis affecting 2 or more major basilar artery branches |
| At least 1 posterior communicating artery giving collateral flow to the basilar artery |
| Lesion characteristics |
| Mori classification |
| Pretreatment stenosis ≥80% |
| Lesion ulceration |
| Prestent lesion lumen ≤0.5 mm |
| Lesion length >10 mm |
| Lesion angle >45° |