Angioplasty of an idiopathic intracranial arterial stenosis

Treatment of symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis usually involves maximizing medical therapy. In patients with medically refractory symptoms despite maximum pharmacologic therapy, intracranial angioplasty and/or stenting has become an accepted treatment option. The use of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) for idiopathic intracranial stenoses has not been reported to date. We describe a case of idiopathic intracranial stenosis which was refractory to medical therapy and was successfully treated with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty. The presenting symptoms included multiple episodes of aphasia and right-sided weakness as well as a left basal ganglia infarct. The patient underwent treatment with two intracranial angioplasty procedures. There was a recurrence of the stenosis and symptoms following the first procedure. However, after a second treatment with a slightly larger balloon, flow in the MCA normalized. Furthermore, the symptoms attributed to her MCA stenosis had essentially resolved. This case suggests that patients with medically refractory idiopathic intracranial stenosis can be successfully treated with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty.