Safety and efficacy of carotid artery stenting
Yi-qing Wang1, David Ho Saiwah, Yan Wang
1Heart Center, Zhongshan Hospital affiliated to Xiamen University, Teaching Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Xiamen 361004, China. wang_qina@163.com
Objective:
To evaluate the safety and efficacy of carotid artery stenting (CAS).
Methods:
We prospectively evaluated the safety and efficacy of 76 carotid artery stenting (CAS) procedures in a consecutive series of 70 Chinese patients. This series represented a high-risk group that included patients with unstable angina, previous ipsilateral CEA, contralateral carotid artery occlusion, post-radiation carotid artery stenosis and other severe co-morbid conditions. The patients had independent neurological examinations before and after the procedure and follow-up cerebral angiography at 6 month.
Results:
The procedural success rate was 100%. The mean carotid artery stenosis was (82+/-18) % before and (5+/-10) % after the procedure. During the initial hospital period and 30 days after CAS, there was no major stroke but 3 minor strokes (5.7%). No myocardial infarctions or deaths occurred during or within 30 days following CAS. At a mean follow-up of 20+/-12 months, 2 patients (2.8%) had asymptomatic restenosis, and 2 non-Q wave myocardial infarction. Death occurred in 2 cases, but none of them was attributed to a neurological cause. Three patients had minor strokes and no major strokes occurred during the follow-up period.
Conclusion:
Percutaneous carotid artery stenting is feasible for performance in Chinese patients and may lower the restenosis rate.