Carotid angioplasty with cerebral protection

Abstract

Background. Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is widely used in the management of high-grade carotid stenosis. It is a surgical procedure requiring general anaesthesia and is suitable only for lesions located at or close to the carotid bifurcation. It may develop complications, such as stroke, death, cranial nerve palsies, wound haematoma and cardiac complications. The risk of complications is increased in patients with recurrent carotid artery stenosis following CEA, in subjects undergoing radiotherapy to the neck, and in patients with cardiopulmonary disease. The drawbacks of CEA have led physicians to search for alternative treatment options. Carotid angioplasty and stenting (CAS) is less invasive than CEA. The method is particularly suitable for the treatment of recurrent stenosis after previous CEA and distal internal artery stenosis, which is inaccessible for CEA. CAS does not cause cranial nerve palsies. Moreover, it does not require general anaesthesia and causes lower morbidity and mortality in patients with severe cardiopulmonary disease. The complications of CAS include stroke due to distal immobilisation of a plaque or thrombus dislodged during the procedure, abrupt vessel occlusion due to thrombosis, dissection or vasospasm, and restenosis due to intimal hyperplasia. CAS is a relatively new procedure; therefore, it is essential to establish its efficacy and safety before it is introduced widely into clinical practice.

Patients and methods. In Slovenia, we have also started with carotid angioplasty by the study: Slovenian Carotid Angioplasty Study (SCAS). We performed CAS in 17 patients (12 males and 5 females) aged from 69 to 82 years. All patients were symptomatic with stenosis greater than 70 %. 10 patients suffered transient ischemic attacks, 4 patients minor strokes and 3 patients amaurosis fugax.

Results. Technical success (<C 30 % residual stenosis) was achieved in all cases. In 14 patients, no residual stenosis was found, in 2 patients a 15 % residual stenosis persisted and in 1 patient, a 30 % residual stenosis was detected. In 15 patients, CAS was performed without complications, in one patient the hyperperfusion syndrome occurred and in one periprocedural stroke occurred.

Conclusions. According to our initial experience on 17 patients CAS could gain more importance in stroke prevention with proper selection of patients with brain ischemia and improved cerebral protection during procedure.