Management of neurological complications of carotid artery stenting.

PURPOSE: To review the neurological complications associated with extracranial carotid artery stenting and to preliminarily assess techniques used to manage these complications. METHODS: Between April 1994 and August 2000, 450 patients (270 men; mean age 70.2 years, range 27-89) had stents implanted to treat 472 cervical carotid artery stenoses. Over half (257, 57%) of the patients were symptomatic. A variety of stents were implanted percutaneously after predilation of the lesion; a third of the patients received glycoprotein IIb/ IIIa inhibitors intraprocedurally in addition to a standard oral antiplatelet regimen (aspirin and ticlopidine or clopidogrel). Occurrence and management of neurological complications within the 30-day periprocedural period were reviewed. RESULTS: There were 14 (3.1%) transient ischemic attacks (TIAs), 10 (2.2%) minor strokes, and 3 (0.7%) major strokes. Among 6 (1.3%) procedure-related deaths, 4 had neurological causes. The total stroke and death rate was 4.2% (n = 19). All the TIAs, 4 of which occurred between 1 and 14 days poststenting, were treated medically, as were the minor strokes, 3 of which occurred >24 hours after stenting. Only 2 minor stroke patients had mild residual upper extremity motor deficits. Intra-arterial thrombolytic therapy was administered in 5 cases (2 major strokes survivors and 3 patients who suffered a neurologically-related death); occlusions were identified in the proximal middle cerebral artery (MCA) in 3 and the distal MCA in 2. Angiographic improvement was noted in 4 (80%), but only the 2 (40%) with distal MCA occlusions did well clinically. CONCLUSIONS: Neurological complications following carotid artery stenting are inevitable. The occurrence of minor strokes >24 hours following stenting may indicate a possible late embolic phenomenon, which warrants investigation. Likewise, the marginal efficacy of intra-arterial thrombolytic therapy demonstrates an inability to lyse embolic plaque and underscores the need for effective distal protection.

Covered stent for renal artery aneurysm.

This is a case of a 51-year-old female with difficult-to-control hypertension and a 3-cm renal artery aneurysm. Successful exclusion of this was performed using a prefabricated stent graft. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the use of a prefabricated covered stent for this indication.

Global experience in cervical carotid artery stent placement.

The purpose of this article is to review and update the current status of carotid artery stent placement in the world. Surveys to major interventional centers in Europe, North and South America, and Asia were initially completed in June 1997. Subsequent information from these 24 centers in addition to 12 new centers has been obtained to update the information. The survey asked the various questions regarding the patients enrolled, procedure techniques, and results of carotid stenting, including complications and restenosis. The total number of endovascular carotid stent procedures that have been performed worldwide to date included 5,210 procedures involving 4,757 patients. There was a technical success of 98.4% with 5,129 carotid arteries treated. Complications that occurred during the carotid stent placement or within a 30-day period following placement were recorded. Overall, there were 134 transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) for a rate of 2.82%. Based on the total patient population, there were 129 minor strokes with a rate of occurrence of 2.72%. The total number of major strokes was 71 for a rate of 1.49%. There were 41 deaths within a 30-day postprocedure period resulting in a mortality rate of 0.86%. The combined minor and major strokes and procedure-related death rate was 5.07%. Restenosis rates of carotid stenting have been 1.99% and 3.46% at 6 and 12 months, respectively. The rate of neurologic events after stent placement has been 1.42% at 6-12-month follow-up. Endovascular stent treatment of carotid artery atherosclerotic disease is growing as an alternative for vascular surgery, especially for patients that are high risk for standard carotid endarterectomy. The periprocedure risks for major and minor strokes and death are generally acceptable at this early stage of development and have not changed significantly since the first survey results. Cathet. Cardiovasc. Intervent. 50:160-167, 2000.

Use of coronary artery stents in the treatment of internal carotid artery stenosis at the base of the skull.

The management of high-grade stenosis involving the petrosal segment of the internal carotid artery has been limited to angioplasty alone in the past. However, if angioplasty fails or has less than optimum results, then endovascular stent placement should be considered. We present the first two known cases in which the Multi-Link coronary stent was used for the treatment of internal carotid disease in the petrosal segment. The first patient had symptomatic stenosis that failed angioplasty after seven months and the second patient had a symptomatic lesion that dissected upon angioplasty. The flexibility and low profile characteristics of the stent allowed it to be safely deployed with balloon expansion. No complications occurred and the patients tolerated the procedure. Patients were carefully monitored and no new neurologic events in six months of follow up occurred. These cases reveal the good clinical results of stent placement for surgically-inaccessible lesions of the internal carotid artery in the skull base.

Cervical carotid artery stent placement.

This article reviews the clinical application and early results of cervical carotid artery stent placement. Patient preparation, techniques in stent delivery and post care treatment performed at Pittsburgh Vascular Institute are discussed. Experiences of a multicentre study obtained from an international survey is revealed. A total of 3129 carotid stent procedures have been performed worldwide to date, with a technical success rate of 98.8%. Complications during placement or within a 30-day period of placement included 74 (2.4%) transient ischemic insults, 78 (2.49%) minor strokes, 43 (1.37%) major strokes and 30 (0.96%) procedure-related deaths. Restenosis rates at 6 months was 2.3%. Post-procedure neurologic sequelae occurred in 14 (0.79%) of cases. Carotid artery stent placement is growing as an alternative for endarterectomy, especially for patients with high surgical risk. The periprocedural risks for death and minor and major stroke are generally acceptable at this early stage of development.

Endovascular stents for carotid artery occlusive disease.

PURPOSE: To study the feasibility and safety of endovascular stenting of cervical carotid artery stenosis. METHODS: Between April 1994 and May 1997, 108 consecutive patients (58 men; mean age 70.1 years) with > or = 70% carotid stenosis were treated with percutaneous stent implantation under a protocol that featured independent neurological review. Forty-four percent were asymptomatic. Over half the lesions (59%) were in the internal carotid artery; the mean stenosis was 86%. Palmaz stents were implanted without cerebral protection following preliminary balloon dilation; two Wallstents were used in long lesions. RESULTS: Carotid stents were successfully placed in 108 of 114 (95%) lesions. Of the 6 technical failures, 5 were access related and 1 was due to seizures during balloon dilation. Two major (1.8%) and 2 minor (1.8%) strokes occurred (3.7% stroke rate for 108 patients; 3.5% in 114 procedures), all in symptomatic patients, one of whom died. There were 5 (4.4%) transient ischemic attacks and 2 (1.8%) brief seizure episodes during dilation. One patient died of a cardiac event on day 20. The all stroke or death rate was 5.3% based on 114 arteries at risk (5.6% in 108 patients). In the mean 6-month follow-up (range 1 to 36) of 97 eligible patients, 3 (3.1%) died from unrelated causes. There was 1 restenosis (1.0%) from a stent compression, which was successfully redilated. There were no neurological sequelae, cranial palsies, or cases of stent or vessel thrombosis in follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The use of stents in the treatment of cervical carotid occlusive disease appears feasible, effective in the short term, and without excessive risk of periprocedural stroke.

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome complicated by disseminated intravascular coagulation.

The neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS), clinically manifested by hyperpyrexia, mental status changes, muscular rigidity, and autonomic dysfunction, is an idiosyncratic reaction to major neuroleptic pharmacologic agents. The reported causes of morbidity and mortality include respiratory insufficiency, cardiovascular collapse, arrhythmias, and renal failure. Coagulopathy does not seem to be a prominent component of the syndrome. We observed a case of NMS in which disseminated intravascular coagulation was a prominent feature.