Complication rates using balloon-expandable and self-expanding stents for the treatment of intracranial atherosclerotic stenoses : analysis of the INTRASTENT multicentric registry.

Using balloon-expandable stents (BES) for treatment of intracranial stenoses, high inflation pressures and rigidity of the device are regarded as major drawbacks limiting feasibility and safety of the procedure. Self-expanding stents (SES) were developed to facilitate lesion access and to allow for less aggressive dilatation. We analyzed data of the INTRASTENT multicentric registry to assess whether self-expanding stents significantly reduced peri-interventional complication rates.