Introduction
We report our first clinical experience with a CE-marked flexible monorail balloon-expandable stent for treatment of high-grade
intracranial stenoses.
Methods
Between April 2006 and November 2007 21 patients with symptomatic intracranial stenoses (>70%) were treated with the PHAROS
stent. In seven patients, the procedure was performed during acute stroke intervention. Procedural success, clinical complication
rates and mid-term follow-up data were prospectively recorded.
Results
During a median follow-up period of 7.3 months one additional patient died of an unknown cause 3 months after the intervention.
A patient with a significant residual stenosis presented with a new stroke after further progression of the residual stenosis.
None of the successfully treated patients experienced ipsilateral stroke.
Conclusion
Recanalization of intracranial stenoses with the balloon-expandable Pharos stent is technically feasible. The periprocedural
complication rate and mid-term follow-up results were in the range of previously reported case series. This pilot study was
limited by the small sample size and severe morbidity of the included patients. Final evaluation of the efficacy of Pharos
stent treatment demands further investigation.
Keywords Intracranial stenosis - Intracranial stenting - Pharos stent - Balloon-expandable stent