[Three cases of successful stenting for radiation-induced carotid arterial stenosis]

We report three cases of radiation-induced carotid arterial stenosis that underwent successful angioplasty with stenting. The patients had received radiation therapy for tongue or laryngeal cancers and developed minor completed strokes 6 to 14 years after irradiation. All patients had multiple and bilateral stenosis, measuring more than 50%, of the carotid arteries. The stenosis was located in the internal, external, and common carotid arteries. We performed percutaneous transluminal angioplasty with stenting. All interventions were successful and carotid stenosis decreased to less than 28%. No permanent complications occurred. During follow-up periods of up to 26 months, all of these cases were free from ischemic symptoms. Neither carotid angiography nor ultrasound sonography showed evidence of restenosis. The present results suggest the usefulness of angioplasty with stenting for radiation-induced carotid arterial stenosis.