[Short- and long-term effects of internal carotid arteries stenting in high-risk patients]

The efficacy of endovascular treatment of internal carotid arteries (ICA) stenosis (20 patients) has been compared to that of conventional carotid endarterectomy (25 control cases). ICA stenting was performed in case of stenosis, narrowing arteries to > or = 60% in "symptomatic" patients and to > or = 80% in "asymptomatic" ones. Angiographic indices revealed favorable outcome after stenting in 100%. Mean extent of residual stenosis was 8.3 +/- 0.8%. Significant complications (stroke/fatal outcome) after 22 procedures developed in 3 (13.6%) cases. Mortality was estimated as 4.5%. Taking stroke and fatal cases into account, the interventions were successful in 86.4% cases. The duration of follow-up study was from 1 to 48 months, with 1 case resulting in death and 2--in development of acute disturbance of cerebral blood circulation of contralateral ICA. Short- and long-term results of the intervention did not significantly differ between the study and control groups thus indicating ICA stenting as an alternative to carotid endarterectomy procedure.