For those folks seeking a good research on Internal Jugular Vein Ballooning effect on IJV narrowing, this is by far, the only study I have found to be exhaustive in terms of comparing the types of jugular narrowing that benefits from ballooning and the ones that don’t. The finding is interesting. In short, If you are young and have transverse endoluminal defects (wide or cross-sectional/horizontal narrowing), you have better chance of narrowing being corrected by Percutaneous Transluminal Angioplasty ( PTA - meaning IJV Ballooning). But if you have hypoplastic IJV (narrowing by birth) or have longitudinal endoluminal defects (Vertical narrowing of IJV), your chances to have it corrected by ballooning are slim.
ABSTRACT
Objective: Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) of the internal jugular veins (IJVs) has been proposed in recent
years to treat chronic cerebrovascular venous insufficiency, with discordant results. Moreover, very little is known about
the efficacy of PTA in restoring a normal cerebral venous outflow. The aim of this study was to investigate the anatomic
factors and patient characteristics that might influence the efficacy of PTA of the IJV.
Methods: There were 797 consecutive patients with venous outflow anomalies who underwent standardized, operatorindependent catheter venography and PTA of the IJVs. Before and after PTA, morphologic and hemodynamic anomalies
of the IJVs were documented. The primary end point of the study was to evaluate the morphologic factors influencing
the efficacy of angioplasty in improving IJV outflow.
Results: PTA resulted in an increased outflow through the IJVs in most patients. However, younger individuals with
transverse endoluminal defects and higher pre-PTA flows are more likely to respond well to PTA compared with those
who exhibit hypoplasia, stenosis, or longitudinal endoluminal defects.
Conclusions: This study identified the factors that influence and could predict the efficacy of PTA in the treatment of IJV
anomalies. (J Vasc Surg: Venous and Lym Dis 2017;5:777-88.)
Study Link : JVSVL.pdf (1.9 MB)