Intermediate follow-up of carotid artery stent placement.
BACKGROUND
Carotid artery stent placement (CAS) is becoming more popular among various specialties for the treatment of primary and recurrent carotid artery disease. The morbidity associated with this procedure is improving but the intermediate- and long-term follow-up remains unknown. We report our restenosis rates and follow-up associated with CAS.


METHODS
Thirty-one interventions on 29 patients from May 1998 to January 2002 were reviewed. All patients have undergone serial follow-up using Doppler ultrasound at 3 and 6 months and every 6 months thereafter. Ten interventions (32%) were performed on patients with recurrent carotid artery disease and 21 (68%) on patients with primary disease.


RESULTS
Five periprocedural complications occurred (transient ischemic attack, n = 3; major stroke, n = 1; immediate intrastent restenosis requiring lysis, n = 1) for a total immediate complication rate of 16%. No deaths occurred. Follow-up was achieved in all 29 patients (mean 28 months; range 20 to 46). Twenty-seven patients (29 vessels; 94%) remain asymptomatic with less than 50% stenosis. Two vessels (6%) have been found to have a critical restenosis of greater than 90%. Both patients were symptomatic from their recurrence (transient ischemic attack, n = 1; acute stroke, n = 1). Cumulative major stroke and death rate including all follow-up was 6%.


CONCLUSIONS
CAS can be performed with an acceptable stroke/death rate (3%) in a properly selected patient population. In our small series of patients, the restenosis rate at a mean of 28 months after CAS is 6%.
Gable
Dennis R
DR
Department of Vascular Surgery, Baylor University Medical Center, 621 North Hall, Suite 100, Dallas, TX 75226, USA. bumcvascsurg@aol.com
Bergamini
Thomas
T
Garrett
Wilson V
WV
Hise
Joseph
J
Smith
Bertram L
BL
Shutze
William P
WP
Pearl
Gregory
G
Grimsley
Brad R
BR
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000800:Angioplasty, Balloon / Q000009:adverse effects; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D015607:Stents / Q000009:adverse effects; D020521:Stroke / Q000209:etiology