'Open angioplasty' in carotid artery obstructions

A new method has been introduced for the treatment of highly located or long-segment stenoses or obstructions of the internal carotid artery not accessible by conventional carotid-endarterectomy. Following conventional carotid-endarterectomy a balloon catheter is passed through the incised carotid artery as far as the stenosis and then inflated several times. Possibly dislodged plaque material can be washed out by the retrograde blood stream. The results in 30 cases, with angiopraphic, Doppler sonographic and neurologic follow-up examinations, are reported. It was possible to achieve a distinct additional cerebral blood supply through the recanalized internal carotid artery by this method, without a severe complication rate.