Long-term results after carotid stent implantation.
BACKGROUND
Though carotid artery stenting (CS) has gained popularity as an alternative to carotid endarterectomy, studies examining long-term results are limited.


METHODS
All consecutive patients who underwent unilateral CS between 7/1993 and 8/2005 with no or non-significant contralateral stenosis were included. Follow-up with duplex sonography and/or angiography and neurological assessment was performed at 6 and/or 12 months. Thereafter, annually, a questionnaire was sent to the patients and their referring physicians.


RESULTS
Two-hundred and seventy-nine patients underwent CS. In 99% of procedures stent delivery was successful. The periprocedural major and minor stroke rates were 2.2%, respectively. The periprocedural major stroke or death rate was 2.9%. Median clinical follow-up was 49 ± 32 months (range: 30 days-12.1 years). Excluding perioperative (<30 days) events, the annual major and minor stroke rate was 1.3% and the annual ipsilateral major and minor stroke rate was 0.6%. In symptomatic and asymptomatic patients, the annual major and minor stroke rates were 2.2% and 0.8%, respectively, and the ipsilateral major and minor stroke rates were 1.1% and 0.3%, respectively. There was no significant difference between ipsilateral and contralateral major or minor strokes at long-term follow-up. At last sonographic follow-up (median 36 ± 32 months), restenosis rates for symptomatic and asymptomatic stenoses were 5% and 3%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of our study demonstrate very low long-term cerebral event rates after CS supporting the long-term safety of CS. Importantly, there was no significant difference in long-term ipsilateral versus contralateral cerebral events lending support to the hypothesis of plaque stabilization.
Cardio Vascular Center CVC Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany.
Heike
H
Radu
Stefan C
SC
Bertog
Greg
G
Robertson
Jennifer
J
Franke
Kasja
K
Rabe
Marius
M
Hornung
Laura
L
Vaskelyte
Ilona
I
Hofmann
Horst
H
Sievert
D000368:Aged; D002339:Carotid Arteries; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015607:Stents; D020521:Stroke / Q000209:etiology