Carotid artery stenting with flow inversion cerebral protection and MicroNet-covered stent

Area of Science:

• Vascular Surgery
• Interventional Cardiology
• Neurology

Background:

• Carotid artery stenting (CAS) carries a risk of embolic events.
• Cerebral protection devices aim to mitigate these risks.
• Evaluating novel protection systems is crucial for improving CAS outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the efficacy and safety of the FlowGate2 flow inversion cerebral protection system combined with MicroNet-covered CGuard stents.
• To determine the rate of early and late embolic events in patients undergoing CAS with this combined approach.

Main Methods:

• A prospective monocentric study involving 204 procedures in 180 patients (2018-2023).
• Utilized FlowGate2 catheter for proximal flow inversion cerebral protection during CAS.
• Patients received MicroNet-covered CGuard stents; follow-up included immediate, 30-day, 6-month, 12-month, and annual assessments.

Main Results:

• Successful implementation of the protocol in 99% of cases.
• A low rate of minor stroke (0.5%) and perioperative death (0.5%) due to cerebral hemorrhage.
• No major strokes or neurological score deterioration; one instance of restenosis (0.5%) at 6 months.

Conclusions:

• The combination of FlowGate2 and CGuard stents is effective in reducing embolic events during CAS.
• This approach demonstrates a favorable safety profile with low complication rates.
• The study supports the use of this system for high-risk patients undergoing CAS.