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Updated: Aug 30, 2026
A Murine Model of Stent Implantation in the Carotid Artery for the Study of Restenosis
Published on: May 14, 2013
Percutaneous internal carotid artery angioplasty with stenting: early and long-term results
Marek Dabrowski1, Dariusz Bielecki, Paweł Gołebiewski
1Bielański Hospital and Research Unit for Cardiac Diagnosis and Therapy in Medical Research Center Polish Academy of Science, Warsaw, Poland.
Insights
Carotid artery stenting (CAS) offers a safe alternative to surgical endarterectomy for treating internal carotid artery stenosis. This study found a low risk of stroke with CAS, suggesting its clinical usefulness, especially with protective devices.
Area of Science:
- Vascular Surgery
- Interventional Cardiology
- Neurology
Background:
- Cerebrovascular accidents are a leading cause of death, often linked to carotid artery lesions.
- Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and carotid artery stenting (CAS) are key treatments for carotid artery stenosis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy and safety of CAS for internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis.
Main Methods:
- CAS was performed on 75 patients (mean age 65.2 years), with 20 utilizing central nervous system (CNS) protective devices.
- Immediate, mid-term, and long-term outcomes were analyzed.
Main Results:
- 84 stents were implanted in 73 patients; 4 patients experienced ischemic stroke during procedures.
- No stroke-related deaths occurred during follow-up; asymptomatic restenosis was noted in 6 patients.
Conclusions:
- CAS presents a comparable risk profile to CEA for internal carotid artery stenosis.
- Further research with larger patient cohorts is recommended to validate the clinical utility and safety of CAS, particularly with protective devices.
Background:
Cerebro-vascular accidents are the third most common cause of death. The most frequent localisation of lesions responsible for stroke are bifurcation of the common carotid artery or the proximal internal carotid artery (ICA). Surgical carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and carotid artery stenting (CAS) are the non-pharmacological methods used to treat carotid artery stenosis.
Aim:
To assess the efficacy and safety of CAS of ICA.
Methods:
CAS was performed in 75 patients (49 males, 26 females) with a mean age of 65.2+/-9.1 years. Twenty (26.7%) patients underwent CAS with the use of the central nervous system (CNS) protective devices. The immediate, mid-term, and long-term results were analysed.
Results:
In total, 84 stents were implanted to 80 ICA in 73 patients. In two patients stent implantation was not possible. In 7 (9%) patients with a stenosis of both ICA, a bilateral procedure was performed. In two patients concomitant dilatations of the vertebral artery, and in the other two - of subclavian artery, were performed. In 38 patients coronary angiography was performed directly before CAS; one patient underwent coronary angioplasty. In 20 patients protective CNS devices were used. During the procedure four patients developed ischaemic stroke on the side of CAS. In one patient neurological symptoms completely disappeared within 48 hours. The type of technique used during CAS did not influence the frequency of ischaemic complications. Four patients developed hyperperfusion syndrome which disappeared after a few days. There were fire deaths during follow-up: three due to myocardial infarction (MI), one - after urgent CABG, and one due to pulmonary embolism. There were no deaths due to stroke. No new ischaemic changes in CNS nor significant changes in the neurological status, using the UNSS or Barthel scales, were observed. Asymptomatic restenosis was documented in six patients whereas one patient developed symptomatic restenosis due to stent deformation.
Conclusions:
Percutaneous angioplasty of an internal carotid artery carries a risk not exceeding that of surgical endarterectomy. In our study, a one-year follow-up revealed a minor risk of ischaemic stroke. Percutaneous angioplasty with the use of protective devices should be tested in larger groups of patients in order to establish the real clinical usefulness and improved safety of this technique.
