Objective: The purpose of this study was to review the initial results of carotid artery angioplasty with stenting (CAS) performed by vascular surgeons to treat bifurcation occlusive disease. Most patients were selected for CAS if they had indications for endarterectomy (CEA) but were considered at high risk for surgery.
Methods: Since December 2000, 74 carotid arteries in 69 patients underwent CAS, with distal balloon embolization protection in 96%. Mean patient age was 72 years; 82% of patients were men. Indications for CAS included asymptomatic disease (62%), transient ischemic attack (TIA; 23%), and cerebrovascular accident (15%). Mean internal carotid artery diameter stenosis was 82%. CAS was chosen over CEA because of cardiac (49%) or pulmonary (4%) comorbid conditions, hostile neck (25%), distal extent of disease (6%), and contralateral cranial nerve injury (1%). CAS was performed in 15% patients who were good surgical candidates, because of patient preference. Pathologic conditions were primary atherosclerosis (81%), recurrent carotid stenosis (18%), and dissection (1%). Procedures were transfemoral in 95% of cases and transcarotid in 5%. In 30% of cases the contralateral carotid artery had 80% or greater stenosis or was completely occluded.
Results: Technical success was achieved in 96% of cases. There were no deaths, no major strokes, one minor stroke (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, 3), and one TIA (neurologic event rate, 2.6%). The single minor stroke resolved completely by 1 month. One patient (1.3%) had a perioperative myocardial infarction. Transient neurologic changes occurred in 8% of patients during the protection balloon inflation, and all resolved with deflation. Bradyarrhythmia requiring pharmacologic treatment occurred in 14% of patients. At mean follow-up of 6 months there have been two instances of recurrent stenosis greater than 50% as noted at duplex scanning. During the same period, 266 carotid CEAs were performed, with a neurologic event rate of 0.8% (major stroke, 0.4%; no minor strokes; TIA, 0.4%) and a myocardial infarction rate of 3%. Combined stroke and death rate was 1.3% in patients who underwent CAS and 0.5% in patients who underwent CEA.
Conclusion: CAS with cerebral protection can be performed safely in patients at high surgical risk, with low perioperative morbidity and mortality. The durability of the procedure must be determined with longer follow-up.