Intravascular ultrasonography assisted carotid artery stenting for treatment of carotid stenosis: Two case reports

BACKGROUND Digital subtraction angiography(DSA),the gold standard of cerebrovascular disease diagnosis,is limited in its diagnostic ability to evaluate arterial diameter.Intravascular ultrasonography(IVUS)has advantages in assessing stenosis and plaque nature and improves the evaluation and effectiveness of carotid artery sten-ting(CAS).CASE SUMMARY Case 1:A 65-year-old man presented with a five-year history of bilateral lower limb weakness due to stroke.Physical examination showed decreased strength(5-/5)in both lower limbs.Carotid artery ultrasound,magnetic resonance angiography,and computed tomography angiography(CTA)showed a right proximal internal carotid artery(ICA)stenosis(70%-99%),acute cerebral infarction,and severe right ICA stenosis,respectively.We performed IVUS-assisted CAS to measure the stenosis and detected a low-risk plaque at the site of stenosis prior to stent implantation.Post-stent balloon dilatation was performed and postoperative IVUS demonstrated successful expansion and adherence.CTA six months postoperatively showed no significant increase in in-stent stenosis.Case 2:A 36-year-old man was admitted with a right common carotid artery(CCA)dissection detected by ultrasound.Physical examination showed no positive neurological signs.Carotid ultrasound and CTA showed lumen dilation in the proximal CCA with an intima-like structure and bulging in the proximal segment of the right CCA with strip-like low-density shadow(dissection or carotid web).IVUS-assisted DSA confirmed right CCA dissection.CAS was performed and intraoperative IVUS suggested a large residual false lumen.Post-stent balloon dilatation was performed reducing the false lumen.DSA three months postoperatively indicated good stent expansion with mild stenosis.CONCLUSION IVUS aids decision-making during CAS by accurately assessing carotid artery wall lesions and plaque nature preoperatively,dissection and stenosis morphology intraoperatively,and visualizing and confirming CAS postoperatively.

Ileal hemorrhagic infarction after carotid artery stenting:A case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND Ileal hemorrhagic infarction after carotid artery stenting(CAS)is a fatal complication.The prognosis of ileal hemorrhagic infarction after CAS is very poor if not treated in a timely manner.We describe a rare case of ileal hemorrhagic infarction due to acute embolism of the mesenteric artery after CAS.CASE SUMMARY A 67-year-old man with acute ischemic stroke underwent CAS via the right femoral artery approach 21 d after intensive medical treatment.On the first day after surgery,the patient had abdominal distension and abdominal pain.Abdominal enhanced computed tomography revealed intestinal obstruction,severe stenosis of the superior mesenteric artery,and poor distal angiography.An exploratory laparotomy was performed,and pathological examination showed hemorrhagic ileal infarction.It was subsequently found that the patient had intestinal flatulence.With the guidance of an ultrasound scan,the patient underwent abdominal puncture,drainage,and catheterization.After 58 d of treatment,the patient was discharged from hospital with a National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score of 2 points,and a Modified Rankin Scale score of 1 point.At the 6-mo follow-up,the patient had an excellent functional outcome without stroke or mesenteric ischemia.Furthermore,computed tomography angiography showed that the carotid stent was patent.CONCLUSION Ileal hemorrhagic infarction is a fatal complication after CAS,usually caused by mesenteric artery embolism.Thus,more attention should be paid to the complications of embolism in the vascular system as well as the nervous system after CAS,and the complications should be identified and treated as early as possible.

A Comprehensive Analysis of a Case of Internal Carotid Artery Stenting

With the development of science and technology and the continuous progress of interventional equipment,internal carotid artery stenting has become increasingly popular among patients in view of its advantages,which include high efficiency,minimally invasive,and fast postoperative recovery.It has grown importance as a surgical method for the treatment of severe internal carotid artery stenosis.This paper discusses a rare case of severe internal carotid artery stenosis and its management,where various types of pre-dilatation balloons were not able to be positioned in the stenting process.Relevant solutions have also been proposed in hope to provide a more theoretical and practical basis for clinical work.

Evaluation of changes of intracranial blood flow after carotid artery stenting using digital subtraction angiography flow assessment

AIM: To evaluate the changes of intracranial blood flow after carotid artery stenting(CAS), using the flow assessment application "Flow-Insight", which was developed in our department.METHODS: Twenty patients treated by CAS participated in this study. We analyzed the change in concentration of the contrast media at the anterior-posterior and profile view image with the flow assessment application "Flow-Insight". And we compared the results with N-isopropyl-p-[123I] iodoamphetamine-single-photon emission computed tomography(IMP SPECT) performed before and after the treatment. RESULTS: From this study, 200% of the parameter "blood flow" change in the post/pre-treatment is suggested as the critical line of the hyperperfusion syndrome arise. Although the observed blood flow increase in the digital subtraction angiography system did not strongly correlate with the rate of increase of SPECT, the "Flow-Insight" reflected the rate of change of the vessels well. However, for patients with reduced reserve blood flow before CAS, a highly elevated site was in agreement with the site analysis results. CONCLUSION: We concluded that the cerebral angiography flow assessment application was able to more finely reveal hyperperfusion regions in the brain after CAS compared to SPECT.

Carotid artery stenting versus carotid endarterectomy in the treatment of symptomatic and asymptomatic carotid stenosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Purpose: To evaluate the short-term and intermediate-to long-term efficacy and safety of carotid artery stenting(CAS) compared with carotid endarterectomy(CEA). Materials and Methods: The published literature was electronically searched for randomized controlled trials(RCTs) between CAS and CEA for the treatment of carotid stenosis performed from January 2000 to January 2017. The short-term and intermediate-to long-term outcomes were evaluated. Results: We identified 10 RCTs including 7,183 participants with symptomatic or asymptomatic carotid stenosis. Our meta-analysis found different results between the patients with and those without symptoms. In patients with symptomatic carotid stenosis, the total stroke incidence in the CAS group was significantly higher than that in the CEA group within the 30-day periprocedural period(p<0.001); however, the myocardial infarction incidence in the CAS group was significantly lower than that in the CEA group(p<0.05). There was no significant difference between the two groups in the mortality within 30 days post-procedure, but the intermediate-to long-term incidence of stroke or death in the CAS group was higher than that of the CEA group(p<0.05). In contrast, for asymptomatic patients, there were no significant differences between the CAS and CEA groups in the short-and intermediate-to long-term outcomes. Conclusion: For patients with symptomatic carotid stenosis, CEA is associated with an increased risk of myocardial infarction, whereas CAS is correlated with an increased risk of procedurally related strokes. However, for patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis, no significant difference was found in the efficacy or safety between CAS and CEA.

Evaluation of ischemic lesions after carotid artery stenting with diffusion-weighted imaging

BACKGROUND Almost 90%of cerebral thromboembolism cases are caused by atherosclerosis.Craniocervical atherosclerosis is often observed at the carotid bifurcation and is responsible for 20%-30%of all stroke cases.The course of atherosclerotic carotid artery stenosis varies depending on the grade of stenosis and characteristics of the plaque.Carotid artery stenting(CAS)can be used as a less invasive method in patients with symptomatic and asymptomatic high-grade carotid artery stenosis.Diffusion-weighted imaging(DWI)is an effective method for detection of silent or symptomatic acute ischemic lesions that may arise due to CAS or carotid endarterectomy.The number and volume of new ischemic lesions are determined using DWI.AIM To evaluate the number and volume of ischemic lesions and their cerebral parenchymal and vascular distribution after CAS using DWI.METHODS Forty-seven male(73.4%)and seventeen female(26.6%)patients(total,n=64)aged 42-84 years(mean 67.96±8.03 years)diagnosed with carotid stenosis between October 2006 and July 2012 were included in this retrospective study.Twelve of the cases(18.8%)were asymptomatic,while fifty-two(81.2%)were symptomatic.The area where the stenosis was highest was measured,and the stenosis rate was determined using the North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial method.DWI of the cases was evaluated by two radiologists experienced in neuroradiology(B.A.with more than 15 years of experience,E.G.with more than 10 years of experience).Routine DWI examinations were carried out by a 1.5 T MR device 1 h before and after the operation.Since the ischemic lesions that developed in the first hour and in the follow-up period of 5-24 h were assumed to be due to CAS,all lesions within the first 24 h were considered as new ischemias.RESULTS In the present study,39 new ischemic lesions were detected in 20 cases.The average number of new lesions after all CAS operations was 0.62.They were mostly located in the occipital lobes,followed by the frontal and parietal lobes.These new ischemic lesions were most common in the middle cerebral artery territory,followed by the posterior cerebral artery territory and middle cerebral artery-posterior cerebral artery watershed areas.New lesions were found in 31.2%(20/64)of patients,including 17(26.5%)in ipsilateral and three(4.6%)in contralateral hemispheres.New bilateral lesions were detected in one case(1.5%).The average volume of the new ischemic lesions detected by the two observers was 1.10 cm³.The numbers of newly appearing ischemic lesions in DWI after CAS were significantly higher in cases where stenting was applied on the left side of the carotid artery and in cases where longer plaques(>1 cm)were responsible for the narrowing in symptomatic patients.The stenosis rate was low in the group with ulcerated plaques.CONCLUSION New ischemic lesions due to CAS appear mostly in the main arterial territory but they may also occur in watershed areas.

Percutaneous cervical carotid artery access with stenting of the left internal carotid artery in an elderly patient

To describe the successful endovascular treatment in a nonagenarian with symptomatic internal carotid artery stenosis using direct carotid artery access. An independent 98 year-old man was admitted to our hospital for symptoms of progressive weakness with disorientation and dysphasia. Carotid Duplex ultrasonography was performed which revealed a totally occluded right internal carotid artery and high grade stenosis of the left internal carotid artery by velocities of 608/240 cm/sec. The patient refused surgical endarterectomy and thus he was referred for carotid artery stenting. Using the femoral artery approach and multiple catheter techniques, access to the common carotid artery could not be accomplished safely. The procedure was aborted and he was therefore brought back to the catheterization laboratory the following day for direct carotid access. Carotid artery stenting was accomplished by using of a 6F sheath percutaneously in the left common carotid, cerebral protection device (CPD) and a Nitinol stent. The patient was discharged the following day without complications. At 14 months follow-up the patient is functional and independent without recurrence of symptoms. Carotid artery stenting via direct access can be accomplished in patients when the femoral artery approach is anatomically prohibitive. In this case of advanced age and the patient’s refusal for surgery, direct carotid access was his only option.

Ultrasound-guided carotid angioplasty and stenting in a patient with iodinated contrast allergy:A case report

BACKGROUND Ischemic stroke is an entity with high incidence,morbidity,and mortality rates.Carotid artery stenosis is an important and independent risk factor for ischemic stroke.The three current approaches for treating carotid artery stenosis are drug treatment,carotid endarterectomy(CEA),carotid angioplasty and stenting(CAS).The approach is chosen based on the degree of stenosis.CEA or CAS could have been chosen for the current patient,who had severe carotid stenosis and an iodinated contrast allergy.After thoroughly communicating with the patient,the patient chose CAS for treatment.Therefore,we performed ultrasound-guided CAS to avoid the use of iodinated contrast.CASE SUMMARY The main symptoms of the patient were numbness and weakness of the left limb.Computed tomography angiography of the head and neck at another hospital indicated multiple sites of stenosis in the arteries of the head and neck.The patient requested CAS for treatment but was allergic to iodinated contrast media.Thus,routine digital subtraction angiography(DSA)with iodinated contrast could not be used for the procedure.The diagnosis of this patient was as follows:(1)Right parietal lobe cerebral infarction;(2)multiple sites of stenosis in the arteries of the head and neck(severe stenosis of the right internal carotid artery,severe stenosis of the right subclavian artery);(3)right subclavian steal syndrome;and(4)hypertension(stage 3,high risk).The interventions included routine treatment for cerebral infarction,oral administration of clopidogrel(75 mg qd)and aspirin(100 mg qd),ultrasound-guided CAS,and postoperative follow-up.Postoperative color Doppler ultrasound and cerebrovascular magnetic resonance angiography of the carotid artery showed good vascular recovery,and the postoperative follow-up indicated a good prognosis.CONCLUSION This case study suggests that ultrasound-guided endovascular treatment is a potential option for patients with contraindications to the iodinated contrast agents used in DSA-guided surgery,although excellent surgical operating skills are needed.

Transcervical access,reversal of flow and mesh-covered stents:New options in the armamentarium of carotid artery stenting

In the last 25 years, the very existence of carotid artery stenting(CAS) has been threatened on a number of occasions. The initial disappointing results that even lead to the discontinuation of an early randomized controlled trial have improved considerably with time. Novel devices, advanced stent and equipment technology, alternative types of access and several types of filters/emboli protecting devices have been reported to reduce stroke/death rates during/after CAS and improve CAS outcomes. The present review will provide a description of the various technology advances in the field that aim to reduce stroke and death rates associated with CAS. Transcervical access, reversal of flow and mesh-covered stents are currently the most promising tools in the armamentarium of CAS.

Carotid artery angioplasty and stenting in elderly patients： the advantage of being an interventional cardiologist

Objective Carotid angioplasty and stenting （CAS） has been suggested to be the procedure of choice in patients with high risk cardiovascular profile. Unfortunately, such patients are often aged with several comorbidities, such as a high prevalence of coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease and hostile anatomy that complicate the CAS performance. We sought to evaluate the results of CAS in elderly patients, outlining the encountered challenges and the eventual proposed global cardiovascular management. Methods We retrospectively searched the database for patients 〉 65-year-old who were referred to Cardiovascular Diagnosis and Endoluminal Interventions, Rovigo General Hospital, over a 24-month period （December 2007-November 2009） for CAS. Coronary angiography and peripheral screening were performed in all patients. All eventual challenges and related solutions were analyzed. Results Totally, 160 patients were enrolled. Among which, 50 patients （31.2%, mean age 80 ~ 6.4 years） underwent CAS over a 24- month period： 24 patients （48%） had concurrent coronary artery disease （three-vessel in 7 patients, bivessel in 8 patients, single vessel in 5 patients and left main in 4 patients）; 13 patients （26%） and peripheral artery disease at the site of arterial access; 15 patients and type III aortic arch （30%）, 7 patients severe tortuosity of the common carotid artery （14%）, and 8 angulated takeoffof carotid or internal artery （16%）. Concurrent percutaneous coronary intervention was performed in 14 patients, including 3 patients with left main disease. Concurrent peripheral intervention was performed in 7 patients （ all with bilateral common or external critical disease） due to the impossibility to gain another access. Successful carotid cannulation was achieved in all patients with hostile neck. Two-wire technique has been used in 17 patients, three-wire technique in 9 patients, and four-wire technique in 4 patients. Conclusion Elderly patients submitted to CAS represent a complex and challenging subgroup in which often cardiac and peripheral technical expertise is required to gain success of the procedure： interventional cardiologists are probably the preferred performers in such complex patients （JGeriatr Cardio12010; 7：3-6）.

Carotid Artery Stenting:2016 and Beyond

Surgical options developed to treat carotid artery stenosis have evolved in the last six decades,and studies have shown the superiority of carotid endarterectomy(CEA)compared to medical therapy.Similarly,as endovascular therapy has evolved over the last two decades,studies refl ecting safety,feasibility,and equivalence of carotid artery stenting(CAS)to CEA have been replicated in several studies for intermediate to high surgical risk patients.However,since its inception,the field of CAS has been mired in several controversies and has been subject to intense scrutiny from multiple stakeholders within the field of medicine.This review discusses specifi cissues concerning CAS that are relevant in the current era.

Carotid artery stenting in the elderly: the time has come

Introduction Affecting over half a million people per year, stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States. Approximately 30% of strokes are caused by carotid occlusive disease.……

Treatment of extracranial internal carotid artery dissecting aneurysm with SUPERA stent implantation:Two case reports

BACKGROUND There is no standard endovascular treatment for extracranial internal carotid artery dissecting aneurysms.In the past,stent-graft isolation and stent-assisted coil embolization were commonly used for wide-necked and fusiform aneurysms.Here,we present two cases of extracranial internal carotid artery dissecting aneurysms treated successfully using the SUPERA stent.CASE SUMMARY Case 1 was a 57-year-old male patient with sudden right limb weakness and vague speech and diagnosed with cerebral infarction in February 2019.Cervical computed tomographic angiography(CTA)revealed left internal carotid artery dissection with stenosis.CTA at 2 mo showed an eccentric wide-necked dissecting aneurysm(5 mm×5 mm×12 mm,10-mm neck)that was enlarged at 4 mo(7 mm×6 mm×12 mm,11-mm neck).The patient underwent SUPERA stent implantation.His condition was stable in July 2020.Case 2 was a 57-year-old man who suddenly felt dizzy and developed unsteady walking in November 2019.Cervical CTA suggested right internal carotid artery dissecting aneurysm(11 mm×9 mm×31 mm)complicated with severe lumen stenosis(95%).The patient underwent SUPERA stent implantation.The patient had no residual symptoms and was stable in December 2020.CONCLUSION SUPERA stent implantation might achieve good results in treating wide-necked or long fusiform internal carotid artery dissecting aneurysms.

Effect of Carotid Artery Stenting and Extracranial-Intracranial By-Pass on Cognitive Function: Preliminary Results

Background: To compare the neuropsychological consequences after carotid artery stenting (CAS) and extracranial-intracranial by-pass (EC-IC by-pass). Methods: A total of 43 patients referred to CAS, 32 patients referred to EC-IC by-pass and 43 control subjects were enrolled in the study. Neuropsychologic testing was performed before and three months after procedure. A paired Student t test was used to compare neuropsychologic test scores at baseline and three months after procedure in each group. Cognitive changes in a three-month follow-up were not normally distributed and compared among/between groups with Kruskal-Wallis test. Results: Three months after the treatment both the CAS and EC-IC by-pass groups showed improved cognitive performance compared to baseline, whereas the same improvement wasn’t seen in the control group. The scores from Activities of Daily Living also improved in all three groups in a three-month follow-up, and EC-IC group presented a more distinct increase in daily life abilities comparing to the other two groups. Conclusions: CAS and EC-IC by-pass in patients with a carotid or intracranial stenosis may result in cognitive improvement three months after surgery.

Initial clinical experience with Xpert-Pro peripheral self-expanding stent system for internal carotid artery dissection:Two case reports

Background:The standard treatment for internal carotid artery(ICA)dissection is obscure.Current therapeutic strategies include the use of antiplatelet drugs,anticoagulant drugs,intravenous thrombolysis,and endovascular treatment.Endovascular treatment is important in acute internal carotid artery dissection.This study reports two acute internal carotid artery dissection cases that were treated successfully using the Xpert-Pro peripheral selfexpanding stent system.Case summary:The first case was of a 38-year-old male patient with transient speechlessness and paralysis of the right limb in July 2021.Cervical computed tomographic angiography(CTA)showed ICA occlusion on the left side.Digital subtraction angiography(DSA)showed severe stenosis of the C1 segment of the left internal carotid artery with intermural hematoma.The patient subsequently underwent Xpert-Pro peripheral self-expanding stent implantation,and his condition stabilized.The second case was of a 56-year-old male patient with speechlessness and paralysis of the right limb.Cervical CTA showed a dissected left ICA,and DSA showed an occluded left ICA and middle cerebral artery.The patient subsequently underwent stent implantation,and his condition stabilized.

Relation between Carotid Artery Plaques Characteristics as a Predictor of Haemodynamics Changes after Carotid Artery Stenting

Objectives: To study relationship between carotid artery plaques characteristics and haemodynamic changes after carotid stenting. Patients and Methods: This observational prospective (pilot) study included 20 patients—who underwent CAS. The study was carried out in Ain shams university hospitals—Railway hospital (ERMED) and Suez insurance hospital from December 2018 to February 2020. Inclusion criteria, Symptomatic (defined as amaurosis fugax, TIA, Minor stroke or Major stroke) stenosis > 70%. Asymptomatic stenosis > 80% (accidentally discovered during pre-operative assessment for CABG and during full assessment for irrelevant stroke). Results: Regarding to plaque character for degree of stenosis, calcification and ulceration revealed significantly higher degree of stenosis in hemodynamic events group (P = 0.024). On the other hand, that there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups as regard calcification, ulceration and lesion location. Conclusion: The study revealed that HI is a common occurrence following CAS procedures and significantly higher degree of stenosis in hemodynamic events group. Plaque shape, ulcerations hardly affect haeodynamic instability after carotid stenting.

Efficacy of Different Types of Self-expandable Stents in Carotid Artery Stenting for Carotid Bifurcation Stenosis

Both open and closed loop self-expandable stents were used in carotid artery stenting（CAS） for carotid bifurcation stenosis. We sought to compare the efficacy of two types of stents in CAS. The data of 212 patients treated with CAS（42 and 170 cases implanted with closed and open loop stents, respectively） for carotid bifurcation stenosis and distal filtration protection devices were retrospectively analyzed. Between closed and open loop stents, there were no significant differences in hospitalization duration, NIHSS score before and after the treatment, stenosis at 12 th month, and cumulative incidence of primary endpoint events within 30 days or from the 31 st day to the 12 th month; while there were significant differences in hemodynamic changes and rate of difficulty in recycling distal filtration protection devices. Use of open vs. closed loop stents for carotid bifurcation stenosis seems to be associated with similar incidence of complications, except for greater rate of hemodynamic changes and lower rate of difficulty in recycling the distal filtration protection devices.

Hybrid surgery for symptomatic chronic complete occlusion of the internal carotid artery: A case report

Currently,there are antiplatelet drugs,extracranial-intracranial(EC-IC)vascular bypass,carotid endarterectomy(CEA),endovascular intervention(EI),and other revascularization procedures for symptomatic chronic internal carotid artery occlusion(CICAO).In consulting the literature,we found that existing techniques for single treatments cannot achieve satisfactory results when there is a long segment occlusion with plaque attached to the intracranial segment and a short stump at the initial segment.We reported the case of a 50-year-old male patient with blurred vision,headache,and weakness in the right upper limb.After the exclusion of other neurological diseases,he was diagnosed with symptomatic CICAO;the occlusion segment was long and the stump was too short.We performed a novel hybrid surgery for the patient—a carotid endarterectomy combined with internal carotid artery stenting.After 6 months of follow-up,computed tomography angiography(CTA)confirmed that the left internal carotid artery was unobstructed,and the symptoms were relieved.A brief review of the literature is presented in addition to this report.

Monitoring cerebral ischemia during carotid endarterectomy and stenting

Current therapy for carotid stenosis mainly includes carotid endarterectomy and endovascular stenting,which may incur procedure-related cerebral ischemia.Several methods have been employed for monitoring cerebral ischemia during surgery,such as awake neurocognitive assessment,electroencephalography,evoked potentials,transcranial Doppler,carotid stump pressure,and near infrared spectroscopy.However,there is no consensus on the gold standard or the method that is superior to others at present.Keeping patient awake for real time neurocognitive assessment is effective and essential;however,not every surgeon adopts it.In patients under general anesthesia,cerebral ischemia monitoring has to rely on non-awake technologies.The advantageous and disadvantageous properties of each monitoring method are reviewed.

Acute carotid stent thrombosis:A case report and literature review

BACKGROUND Acute carotid stent thrombosis(ACST)is a rare but devastating complication in the carotid artery stenting(CAS)procedure.The aim of this article is to report a case and review cases of ACST reported in the literature,and investigate risk factors and management strategies for ACST.CASE SUMMARY We reviewed the treatment process of a patient with ACST after CAS.Then multiple databases were systematically searched to identify studies reporting ACST from 2005 to 2020.The demographic data,risk factors,treatment strategies,and prognosis were extracted and analyzed.CONCLUSION The reason for ACST is multifactorial.Proper patient selection,normative antiplatelet treatment,and perfect technical detail may decrease the incidence of ACST.Several treatment strategies such as thrombolysis,mechanical thrombectomy,and open surgery may be options for the treatment of ACST.Limited data have shown that carotid endarterectomy is effective with favorable results.