title: Carotid artery stenting: a single center "real world" experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Percutaneous carotid artery stenting (CAS) became a widely used procedure in patients with symptomatic and asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis. However its role compared to carotid endarterectomy (CAD) remains questioned. We analysed the safety of carotid artery stenting program of a prospective CAS register program of a tertiary teaching hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between July 2003 and December 2010, 208 patients underwent CAS procedure. Baseline, procedural and follow-up data were prospectively collected. Primary peri-interventional outcome was defined as 30-day major adverse events (MAE), including death, stroke or myocardial infarction, and mid- to long-term follow-up outcome included ipsilateral stroke, myocardial infarction or death. Secondary outcome was restenosis rate ≥ 50% per lesion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Unilateral carotid artery interventions were performed in 186 patients. In 22 patients CAS was performed bilaterally as stages procedures. The 30-day MAE rate was 1.9% consisting of two contralateral strokes and two ipsilateral stroke. Mean clinically follow-up was 22 months. Mid- to long-term MAE was 8.1% with 6.3% (n = 13) deaths, 1.9% (n = 4) myocardial infarctions and 0.9% (n = 2) ipsilateral stroke. The restenosis rate ≥ 50% per lesion was 4.3% at a mean follow-up of 22 months. Target lesion revascularization was performed in one patient, because of restenosis at 9 months follow-up after first CAS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Implementation of a carotid artery stenting program at a tertiary, teaching hospital is a safe method for treatment of carotid artery stenosis. The adverse event rate during mid-to-long-term follow-up suggests an appropriate patient selection.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology, Cardiovascular Center, University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Nazmi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Krasniqi
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Turgut
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Husmann
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roffi
authors.forename: Urs
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Schwarz
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Greutmann
authors.forename: Thomas F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Lüscher
authors.forename: Beatrice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Amann-Vest
authors.forename: Beatrice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Amann
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Corti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000601:surgery*; D016894:Endarterectomy, Carotid / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018579:Patient Selection; D015607:Stents / Q000009:adverse effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome