Carotid Artery Stenting by GuardWire and Wallstent RP

Abstract

In our institute, carotid artery stenting (CAS) has been performed using GuardWire and Wallstent RP, regardless of plaque pathology. In this study, we evaluated our results (high-intensity area on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), stroke/death/myocardial infarction within 30 days, ipsilateral stroke/neurological death after 31 days, and retreatment after CAS). Between April 2005 and December 2009, 76 CAS procedures were performed on 74 patients. DWI obtained after CAS showed a high-intensity area in 13 of 75 procedures (17.3%). Two patients (2.6%) died of stroke and myocardial infarction within 30 days after CAS. One patient (1.3%) had symptomatic cerebral infarction; the other, intracranial hemorrhage. Ipsilateral stroke and neurological death after 31 days occurred in 1 patient (1.3%), who had ipsilateral cerebral infarction at 24 months. Retreatment after CAS was required in 2 patients (2.6%). CAS performed using GuardWire and Wallstent RP is an effective and safe procedure. It is important to achieve proficiency in the use of technical devices to perform successful CAS.