Abstract P518: Intravascular Ultrasound Assisted Endovascular Revascularization in Patients With Subacute and Chronic Internal Carotid Artery Occlusions

Background: Revascularization of subacute or chronic internal carotid artery occlusion is technically feasible in some patients but carotid revascularization procedure needs to be optimized to improve the clinical success of the procedure. Objective: To describe our experience using intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) as adjunct to carotid revascularization procedure in patients with subacute or chronic internal carotid artery occlusion. Materials and Methods: Endovascular recanalization was attempted in 7 patients with symptomatic internal carotid artery occlusions between 3 and 11 days of symptoms onset. Distal protection device was deployed in all the patients followed by advancement of IVUS catheter (Eagle Eye Gold, 20 MHZ Digital, s5 Imaging System, Volcano Corp.) to obtain gray-scale and virtual histology (VH) images at regions of interest. IVUS images used to categorize occlusion content as: dark green- fibrous; yellow/green- fibrofatty; white- calcified; red- necrotic lipid core plaque on images. Intravascular thrombus was diagnosed an echolucent, homogeneous, well-delineated, diaphragm-like intraluminal structure. Results: The occlusion was recanalized successfully in all of 7 patients with median age 67.4±7.5 years. IVUS demonstrated intravascular thrombus in 5 of 7 patients. Fibrous and fibrofatty constituents of plaque were seen in 5 of the 7 patients in whom VH was done. Calcification and lipid necrotic core each were seen in 3 of 5 patients.5 patients with large thrombus burden on IVUS were treated using aspiration thrombectomy. Six of seven patients underwent stent placement and one patient underwent primary angioplasty. 5 of 7 patients had modified Rankin Scale of 0-2 at follow up (3 weeks to 4 months post procedure). Conclusions: IVUS provided valuable information to optimize carotid revascularization procedure in patients with subacute or chronic internal carotid artery occlusion.