Stent Placement for Stenosis at the Origin of a Persistent Primitive Proatlantal Artery: A Case Report

Objective: We report a case of severe stenosis at the origin of the persistent primitive proatlantal artery (PPPA) for which a favorable outcome was obtained through stent placement.Case Presentation: A 75-year-old man was admitted to our hospital primarily complaining of sudden onset numbness of the left side of the body. MRA showed infarction on the dorsal side of the right pons. Cerebral angiography revealed a PPPA that arose from the right carotid artery, with marked stenosis at its origin. With balloon protection of the internal carotid artery and PPPA, a stent was placed in the stenosed area. Adequate dilatation was achieved and no new neurologic deficits were noted after treatment.Conclusion: Stenting could be performed safely with the concomitant use of appropriate protection for stenosis of the origin of the PPPA.