STENT DEFORMATION AND INTIMAL HYPERPLASIA COMPLICATING TREATMENT OF APOSTCAROTID ENDARTERECTOMY INTIMAL FLAP WITH A PALMAZ STENT

We report a case of common carotid artery Palmaz stent placement for t reatment of an intimal flap after surgical endarterectomy. Despite tec hnical success with an excellent immediate result, a significant steno sis detected by duplex sonographic examination developed at 10 months. This stenosis, the result of stent compression and intimal hyperplasi a, illustrates the previously theoretic risk associated with placement of the balloon-expandable stent in a compressible site such as the ce rvical carotid artery. In addition, we demonstrate that significant in timal hyperplasia may occur after carotid artery stent placement, pote ntially limiting long-term patency.