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Updated: Jun 23, 2026

Bilateral Common Carotid Artery Occlusion as an Adequate Preconditioning Stimulus to Induce Early Ischemic Tolerance to Focal Cerebral Ischemia
Published on: May 9, 2013
Cerebral hyperperfusion syndrome post-carotid artery stenting
1Department of Interventional Neuroradiology, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Insights
Cerebral hyperperfusion syndrome is a rare but serious complication after carotid artery stenting. Early stenting for severe stenosis may increase the risk of stroke or cerebral hemorrhage.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Vascular Surgery
Background:
- Cerebral hyperperfusion syndrome (CHS) is a recognized complication following carotid artery stenting (CAS) for severe internal carotid artery stenosis.
- This study investigates the incidence and characteristics of CHS after CAS.
Observation:
- A review of 170 CAS cases between 1999 and 2006 identified four patients who developed CHS.
- These included cerebral edema, petechial hemorrhage, and large intracerebral hemorrhages, with one fatality.
Findings:
- The overall risk of CHS was 2.3%.
- Patients experiencing large intracerebral hemorrhage presented within 6 hours and had CAS within 3 weeks of symptom onset for critical stenosis (≥95%).
- Early intervention in cases of critical stenosis appears to correlate with a higher risk of severe hemorrhage.
Implications:
- CHS is an uncommon yet significant risk associated with CAS.
- Further research comparing endarterectomy and CAS, particularly regarding early treatment timing, is warranted to optimize patient outcomes.
Abstract:
Cerebral hyperperfusion syndrome is increasingly recognized as a complication in carotid artery stenting for severe internal carotid artery stenosis. This study reviews the cases of hyperperfusion syndrome occurring after this procedure. We reviewed our database of 170 cases of internal carotid artery stenting carried out at our hospital between January 1999 and June 2006. A radiology search was also carried out to identify those who had CT or MRI within 1 month of post-carotid artery stenting. We had four patients who developed cerebral hyperperfusion syndrome. One patient developed cerebral oedema, one patient had petechial intracerebral haemorrhage and two patients had large intracerebral haemorrhages, one of whom died. This gives a risk of 2.3% (95% confidence interval 2.27-2.323). All patients with cerebral haemorrhage presented within 6 h. Both patients with large intracerebral haemorrhage had carotid stenting within 3 weeks after presentation of symptoms and all had critically severe stenosis of 95% or more. In our series, large intracerebral haemorrhage has occurred only in patients who have been treated early. Cerebral hyperperfusion is an uncommon but serious complication post-carotid stenting. Further studies comparing early treatment of endarterectomy and carotid stenting are awaited.
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