CAROTID PAIN DURING PERCUTANEOUS ANGIOPLASTY (PTA) - PATHOPHYSIOLOGY AND CLINICAL-FEATURES

Stretching of the internal carotid artery during percutaneous translum inal angioplasty (PTA) may be associated with transient neck, facial o r cranial pain. We report a series of 53 cases who received PTA. Cervi cal pain occurred in 51% of patients, with a radiation to face and sca lp in 33%. Analysis focused on: (a) description of pain intensity, qua lity, timing and location; (b) investigation about the role of individ ual and technical parameters that could influence the relative risk of pain onset during PTA; (c) comparison with other available data on pa in syndromes related to the carotid artery. Intimal flapping on post-a ngioplasty angiograms, bradycardia during the procedure and previous h istory of AMI were associated with a higher risk of painful angioplast y. PTA may also serve as a tool to investigate carotid pain and may ad d further knowledge to the evidence available about the role of the ca rotid wall in the pathogenesis of facial and cranial pain.