Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty in selected patients with severe carotid artery stenoses: the results of a consecutive series of 24 patients.
OBJECTIVE
To assess clinically and with duplex scanning the results of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty in a subgroup of patients with carotid artery stenosis.


METHODS
A retrospective study.


METHODS
Twenty-four patients with focal hemispheric neurological symptoms from a concentric, smooth carotid stenosis more than 70% treated with balloon dilatation. Control investigations were performed with duplex scanning.


RESULTS
Angiography after PTA revealed no residual stenosis in 15 patients (62%), a stenosis of less than 50 was seen in seven patients (30%) and PTA was ineffective in two patients (8%). Three patients (13%) had transient ischaemic attacks during the procedure but none had strokes. One patient experienced short lasting paraesthesia of the arm a few hours after the PTA procedure. After a follow-up of a mean of 11 months (1-38) no recurrent symptoms had occurred. Clinical success was thus achieved in 22 of 24 patients (92%). At duplex scanning, 16 (66%) patients had no stenosis, six patients (30%) had a stenosis of 70%, one patient (4%) a stenosis of 80%, and one patient had an occluded carotid artery.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicate that PTA in a selected group of patients with carotid artery stenosis is safe and the interim, long-term results are promising. The procedure must be evaluated in a randomised prospective study against surgical treatment.
Abrahamsen
J
J
Department of Clinical Physiology, Odense University Hospital, Denmark.
Roeder
O C
OC
Justesen
P
P
Enevoldsen
E
E
D000368:Aged; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018579:Patient Selection; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015607:Stents; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018616:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Duplex; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional