[Significance of vertebral angiography for the diagnosis and therapy of vertebrobasilar occlusive disorders with special reference to vascular recanalizing procedures].

Between 1980 and 1985 a total of 912 vertebral angiographies were performed in 793 patients, 198 of whom had ischemic symptoms attributable to the hindbrain circulation. The complication rate was 6%. With due consideration for the clinical findings and those recorded by Doppler ultrasound and computed tomography, vertebral angiography is indicated in vertebrobasilar occlusive disease if anticoagulation, percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) or local intraarterial fibrinolytic therapy (LIF) of the hindbrain circulation is intended, and also if there is a discrepancy between the clinical findings and the results of computed tomography or Doppler ultrasound examination. With today's sophisticated angiographic techniques (e.g. DSA) and the possibilities opened up by modern interventional neuroradiological techniques, the complication rate of vertebral angiography now seems to be lower than previously.