ENDOVASCULAR STENTS FOR CAROTID-ARTERY OCCLUSIVE DISEASE

Purpose: To study the feasibility and safety of endovascular stenting of cervical carotid artery stenosis. Methods: Between April 1994 and M ay 1997, 108 consecutive patients (58 men; mean age 70.1 years) with g reater than or equal to 70% carotid stenosis were treated with percuta neous stent implantation under a protocol that featured independent ne urological review. Forty-four percent were asymptomatic. Over half the lesions (59%) were in the internal carotid artery; the mean stenosis was 86%. Palmaz stents were implanted without cerebral protection foll owing preliminary balloon dilation; two Wallstents were used in long l esions. Results: Carotid stents were successfully placed in 108 of 114 (95%) lesions. Of the 6 technical failures, 5 were access related and 1 was due to seizures during balloon dilation. Two major(1.8%) and 2 minor (1.8%) strokes occurred (3.7% stroke rate for 108 patients; 3.5% In 114 procedures), all in symptomatic patients, one of whom died. Th ere were 5 (4.4%) transient ischemic attacks and 2 (1.8%) brief seizur e episodes during dilation. One patient died of a cardiac event on day 20. The all stroke or death rate was 5.3% based on 114 arteries at ri sk (5.6% in 108 patients). In the mean 6-month follow-up (range 1 to 3 6) of 97 eligible patients, 3 (3.1%) died from unrelated causes. There was 1 restenosis (1.0%) from a stent compression, which was successfu lly redilated. There were no neurological sequelae, cranial palsies, o r cases of stent or vessel thrombosis in follow-up. Conclusions: The u se of stents in the treatment of cervical carotid occlusive disease ap pears feasible, effective in the short term, and without excessive ris k of periprocedural stroke.