Transcervical Carotid Artery Stenting Without Flow Reversal: A Report of Two Cases

BACKGROUND The use of a carotid artery stent (CAS) is a management option for high-risk patients with carotid artery stenosis. An access site for CAS that involves the transcervical approach may be performed percutaneously or may require a cutdown, and usually includes a flow-reversal system to reduce the risk of embolization. Two cases are presented where the transcervical approach to CAS incorporated a distal filter for embolic protection, with a successful outcome. CASE REPORT 1. A 78-year-old man with a history of prior irradiation for head and neck cancer presented for CAS after clinical evaluation showed that he was a poor candidate for carotid endarterectomy (CEA). A femoral approach for carotid artery access was not successful due to a tortuous type III aortic arch. A surgical cutdown of the carotid artery was performed with the use of a distal filter, and the CAS was inserted with no embolic events. 2. A 69-year-old man with an anatomically high bifurcation of his carotid artery was not a candidate for CEA due to limited carotid artery access. Diagnostic carotid angiography was also difficult to perform. The CAS was successfully sited with the use of a distal filter and with no post-procedural complications. CONCLUSIONS CAS is an option for carotid artery stenosis in patients with high surgical risk for CEA. Although a flow-reversal system is usually used to reduce embolic events, these two cases demonstrate that one can also avoid embolism with a distal filter instead.