title: Carotid angioplasty stenting revisited: clinical and radiological (MRI) outcome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although carotid angioplasty and stenting (CAS) is widely used to treat carotid stenosis, recent studies point to the inferiority of the procedure compared with carotid endarterectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We present 50 consecutive cases of CAS treated in our unit. Endarterectomy was contraindicated in these patients due to high operative risk. All the patients underwent a diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI) before and after the procedure and had a neurological assessment in a stroke unit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No deaths were recorded until 30 days after the procedure. Six patients [12%, confidence interval at 95% (CI(95)) = 3.7-20.2] had a positive DWI MRI after the procedure but only 2 (4%, CI(95) = 0-9.43) had a worse neurological status.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows that CAS is feasible with a low morbid-mortality rate in patients with a high surgical risk. DWI is highly sensitive to detect neurological complications after the procedure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Limoges, Limoges, France.
authors.forename: Karima
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ghorab
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Macian
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Adoukounou
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Magy
authors.forename: René
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chapot
authors.forename: Jean-Michel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Vallat
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017130:Angioplasty; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D000075202:Contraindications; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D016894:Endarterectomy, Carotid; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D015607:Stents; D016896:Treatment Outcome