The authors have presented a retrospective analysis of endovascular treatment performed within January 1997 – December 2004 in the University Hospital at Hradec Králové in 114 patients with bothe xtra and intracranial stenoses of the cerebral arteries. Out of 126 angioplastiest he artery dilatation was supplemented with the stent placement in 112 cases. In 102 cases the treatment was carried out using a protective filter. One hundred and twenty interventions were performed in the extracranial region of the main cerebral arteries – 111 angioplasties of the internal carotid artery, and 9 angioplasties of the vertebral artery. The intracranial stenoses – 4 cases of the internal carotid and 2 of the basilar artery – were treated in 6 cases. This method was technically successful in 98.5 % of cases. The mortality/morbidity rate in the whole group reached 2.5 %, mortality 0.8 %. The risky subgroup was formed by patients with polystenotic lesions whose mortality/morbidity rate reached 3.1 %. Eighty-three patients with 92 angioplasties (73 %) were followed up. The restenosis rate was 6 %. The stent placement was the factor decreasing significantly the likelihood of restenoses. While in angioplasties without stenting the restenosis rate was 27 %, that in the group of angioplasties with stenting reached 2.5 % only. Extracranial carotid angioplasty has been considered a less-invasive, percutaneous alternative to carotid surgery. Angioplasty, with or without stent placement, also offers a potential new therapeutic approach for patients with intracranial stenosis and vertebrobasilar lesions.

        Key words: extra- and intracranial cerebral angioplasty, complications, outcomes