[Characteristics of cerebral artery lesions in patients with limb-shaking transient ischemic attacks and its treatment].

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the characteristics of cerebral artery lesions in patients with limb-shaking transient ischemic attacks (LS-TIA) and its treatment.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 20 patients with LS-TIA who received treatment in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from 2005 to 2008.

RESULTS

Critical stenosis or occlusion of contralateral arteries were found in the siphonic part of internal carotid artery (ICA) in 6 patients, terminal ICA or proximal middle cerebral artery (MCA) in 6 patients, and distal MCA in 1 patient. Seven patients had proximal ICA occlusion. The brain MRI showed typical watershed cerebral infarctions in 8 patients. EEG studies failed to show epileptiform activity associated with LS-TIA, but found focal frontotemporal lobe slow activity in 6 patients, which was consistent with hypoperfusion area in CT perfusion. Six patients received surgical revascularization and no one recurred.

CONCLUSION

Intracranial artery including the siphonic part of ICA, terminal ICA and proximal MCA stenosis is the main underlying cause of LS-TIA in Chinese, and surgical revascularization may be effective in abolishing the attacks.