Carotid artery stenting: results and long-term follow-up.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The role of carotid artery stenting (CAS) as an alternative to carotid endarterectomy in the treatment of for symptomatic carotid artery stenosis is investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS Forty-seven patients underwent CAS over 10-year period. Forty-nine vessels were treated. Stenosis quantification was done using North American symptomatic carotid endarterectomy trial method. The mean follow-up period by clinical and Duplex examination ranged is 5.6 years. RESULTS The technical success rate was 100%. There were four deaths (8.1%) and two (4.1%) minor strokes within thirty days of procedure. There was no major strokes. All patients with minor stroke achieved complete recovery at 1-month follow up. Two deaths occurred probably due to hyperperfusion syndrome (HS) and two due to cardiac arrest. CONCLUSION CAS is an effective treatment modality of symptomatic carotid artery disease but should be carefully done in high-risk groups having severe medical ailments and those having severe bilateral stenosis of the carotid arteries.