Drug-eluting balloon angioplasty for carotid in-stent restenosis

Francesco Liistro1, Italo Porto, Simone Grotti

  • 1Cardiovascular and Neurological Department, San Donato Hospital, Arezzo, Italy.

Insights

Drug-eluting balloons (DEBs) show promising midterm results for managing carotid artery in-stent restenosis (ISR). This approach maintained stent patency and kept patients asymptomatic in a small case series.

Area of Science:

  • Vascular Surgery
  • Interventional Cardiology
  • Neurology

Background:

  • Carotid in-stent restenosis (ISR) poses a challenge after carotid artery stenting.
  • Current management options for carotid ISR have limitations.

Observation:

  • Three patients with asymptomatic severe carotid ISR (>80% stenosis) were treated with paclitaxel-eluting drug-eluting balloons (DEBs).
  • The procedure involved predilation and dual inflations of the DEB under filter protection.
  • Patients received 3 months of dual antiplatelet therapy post-procedure.

Findings:

  • Midterm follow-up (12, 22, 36 months) showed patients remained asymptomatic.
  • Duplex ultrasound confirmed sustained stent patency at 6, 12, and 24 months post-treatment.
  • Successful management of severe carotid ISR was achieved using DEBs.

Implications:

  • Drug-eluting balloons represent an emerging and effective strategy for carotid ISR.
  • These preliminary findings suggest DEBs offer encouraging midterm outcomes.
  • Larger studies are warranted to validate these results in broader patient populations.
Abstract