Recent concepts in the management of extracranial carotid stenosis: Carotid endarterectomy versus carotid artery stenting

Abstract Carotid artery stenting has become a viable alternative to carotid endarterectomy in the management of carotid stenosis. Over the past 20 years, many trials have attempted to compare both treatment modalities and establish the indications for each one, depending on clinical and anatomic features presented by patients. Concurrently, carotid stenting techniques and devices have evolved and made endovascular management of carotid stenosis safe and effective. Among the most important innovations are devices for distal and proximal embolic protection and new stent designs. This paper reviews these advances in the endovascular management of carotid artery stenosis within the context of the historical background.

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Physician Approaches to Imaging and Revascularization for Acutely Symptomatic Carotid Stenosis: Insights from the Hot Carotid Qualitative Study

Stroke: Vascular and Interventional Neurology ◽

10.1161/svin.121.000127 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Aravind Ganesh ◽

Benjamin Beland ◽

Gordon A.E. Jewett ◽

David J.T. Campbell ◽

Malavika Varma ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Carotid Artery ◽

Qualitative Study ◽

Carotid Endarterectomy ◽

Carotid Stenosis ◽

Carotid Artery Stenting ◽

Practice Patterns ◽

Imaging Modality ◽

Symptomatic Carotid ◽

Symptomatic Carotid Stenosis

Background Evidence informing the choice between carotid endarterectomy and carotid artery stenting for acutely symptomatic carotid stenosis (“hot carotid”) is dated and does not factor in contemporary therapies or techniques. The optimal imaging modality is also uncertain. We explored the attitudes of stroke physicians regarding imaging and revascularization of patients with acute symptomatic carotid stenosis. Methods We used a qualitative descriptive methodology to examine decision‐making approaches and opinions of physicians regarding the choice of imaging and revascularization procedures for hot carotids. We conducted semistructured interviews with purposive sampling of 22 stroke physicians from 16 centers in 6 world regions and various specialties: 11 neurologists, 3 geriatricians, 5 interventional neuroradiologists, and 3 neurovascular surgeons. Results Qualitative analysis revealed several themes regarding clinical decision‐making for hot carotids. Whereas CT angiography was favored by most participants, timely imaging availability, breadth of information gained, and surgeon/interventionalist preferences were important themes influencing the choice of imaging modality. Carotid endarterectomy was generally favored over carotid artery stenting, but participants’ choice of intervention was influenced by healthcare system factors such as use of multidisciplinary vascular teams and operating room or angiography suite availability, and patient factors like age and infarct size. Areas of uncertainty included choice of imaging modality for borderline stenosis, utility of carotid plaque imaging, timing of revascularization, and the role of intervention with borderline stenosis or intraluminal thrombus. Conclusions This qualitative study highlights practice patterns common in different centers around the world, such as the general preference for CT angiography imaging and carotid endarterectomy over carotid artery stenting but also identified important differences in availability, selection, and timing of imaging and revascularization options. To gain widespread support, future carotid trials will need to accommodate identified variations in practice patterns and address areas of uncertainty, such as optimal timing of revascularization with modern best medical management and risk‐stratification with imaging features other than just degree of stenosis.

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Systematic and Comprehensive Comparison of Incidence of Restenosis Between Carotid Endarterectomy and Carotid Artery Stenting in Patients with Atherosclerotic Carotid Stenosis

World Neurosurgery ◽

10.1016/j.wneu.2019.01.118 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 125 ◽

pp. 74-86 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Wen-qiang Xin ◽

Meng-qi Li ◽

Ke Li ◽

Qi-feng Li ◽

Yan Zhao ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Carotid Artery ◽

Carotid Endarterectomy ◽

Carotid Stenosis ◽

Carotid Artery Stenting ◽

Comprehensive Comparison

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Carotid Artery Stenting May Be Losing the Battle against Carotid Endarterectomy for the Management of Symptomatic Carotid Artery Stenosis, But the Jury Is Still Out

Vascular ◽

10.2310/6670.2009.00039 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 17 (4) ◽

pp. 183-189 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Kosmas I. Paraskevas ◽

Dimitri P. Mikhailidis ◽

Frank J. Veith

Keyword(s):

Carotid Artery ◽

Carotid Endarterectomy ◽

Carotid Stenosis ◽

Carotid Artery Stenosis ◽

Carotid Artery Stenting ◽

Artery Stenosis ◽

Long Term Results ◽

Symptomatic Carotid ◽

Symptomatic Carotid Stenosis

Carotid artery stenting (CAS) has emerged as a potential alternative to carotid endarterectomy (CEA) for the management of carotid artery stenosis. The purpose of this article is to provide an evaluation and critical overview of the trials comparing the early and later results of CAS with CEA for symptomatic carotid stenosis. The Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, PubMed/Medline, and EMBASE databases were searched up to February 1, 2009, to identify trials comparing the long-term outcomes of CAS with CEA. The MeSH terms used were “carotid artery stenting,” “carotid endarterectomy,” “symptomatic carotid artery stenosis,” “treatment,” “clinical trial,” “randomized,” and “long-term results,” in various combinations. One single-center and three multicenter randomized studies reporting their long-term results from the comparison of CAS with CEA for symptomatic carotid stenosis were identified. All four studies independently reached the conclusion that CAS may not provide results equivalent to those of CEA for the management of symptomatic carotid stenosis. A higher incidence of recurrent stenosis and peri- and postprocedural events accounted for the inferior results reported for CAS compared with CEA. Current data from randomized studies indicate that CAS provides inferior long-term results compared with CEA for the management of symptomatic carotid artery stenosis. However, it can be argued that all of these trials were performed when both CAS equipment and CAS operators had not evolved to their current status. Given that current equipment and mature experience are required for CAS before comparing it with the current “gold standard” procedure (CEA), the results of soon-to-be reported trials (Carotid Revascularization Endarterectomy vs Stenting Trial [CREST], International Carotid Stenting Study [ICSS], or others) may alter the current impression that CAS is inferior to CEA for the treatment of symptomatic carotid stenosis.

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Early results of carotid endarterectomy versus carotid stenting: Outcomes from a Mediterranean country

Vascular ◽

10.1177/1708538119841451 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 27 (5) ◽

pp. 468-474

Author(s):

Ricardo Castro-Ferreira ◽

Alberto Freitas ◽

Sérgio M Sampaio ◽

Paulo G Dias ◽

Armando Mansilha ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Carotid Artery ◽

Hospital Mortality ◽

Carotid Endarterectomy ◽

Carotid Stenosis ◽

Carotid Artery Stenting ◽

Public Hospitals ◽

Hospital Length Of Stay ◽

Mediterranean Country ◽

Main Diagnosis ◽

Asymptomatic Patients

Introduction and objectives Which is the best carotid stenosis treatment remains a controversial issue. To present day, no study has compared the results of carotid artery stenting versus carotid endarterectomy in Portugal. We aim to provide real life numbers regarding the outcomes of both procedures in Portuguese public hospitals. Methods Every patient registered between 2005 and 2015 with the main diagnosis of carotid stenosis and submitted to carotid endarterectomy or carotid artery stenting was included. The information was obtained through the Central National Healthcare Administrative database, a mandatory registry for hospital refunding. Primary outcomes were hospital mortality and stroke. Patient demographics, comorbidities and hospital length of stay were also evaluated. Results The study included 6094 patients: 1399 were symptomatic (mention of prior stroke) and 4695 asymptomatic. Carotid artery stenting was performed on 22% of the symptomatic and 18% of the asymptomatic patients. In the symptomatic patients, the in-hospital mortality was significantly higher in those submitted to stenting (3.6% vs. 1.6% in carotid endarterectomy, p = 0.025). No significant differences in outcomes were observed in the asymptomatic group (mortality 0.9% vs. 0.8%, p = 0.852; stroke rate of 2.6% vs. 2.3%, p = 0.652 – carotid artery stenting vs. carotid endarterectomy). In both groups, there was an important increase in the proportion of stenting between 2005 and 2012, followed by a gradual decline until 2015. Conclusion Despite its increasing frequency, a higher early mortality was documented for CAS in symptomatic patients. No worse outcome was observed in asymptomatic patients.

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Abstract P489: Differences in Characteristics of Octogenarian Patients Undergoing Carotid Artery Stenting and Carotid Endarterectomy for Carotid Stenosis: Insights From a Real World Surgical Quality Registry

Stroke ◽

10.1161/str.52.suppl_1.p489 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 52 (Suppl_1) ◽

Author(s):

Mohammed Ali Alvi ◽

Yagiz Yolcu ◽

Kenan Rajjoub ◽

Ozan Dikilitas

Keyword(s):

High Risk ◽

Carotid Artery ◽

Carotid Endarterectomy ◽

Carotid Stenosis ◽

Real World ◽

Carotid Artery Stenting ◽

Real World Data ◽

Surgical Quality ◽

World Data ◽

Quality Registry

Introduction: Several clinical trials evaluating the efficacy of a carotid revascularization procedure excluded patients above age 80. In the current study, we sought to assess the differences in characteristics of octogenarians undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and carotid artery stenting (CAS) for carotid stenosis using “real-world” data from a national surgical quality registry. Methods: The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) targeted datasets for CEA and CAS were queried for patients aged ≥80 years between 2012-2018. Results: We identified 5,814 patients undergoing CEA and 189 patients undergoing CAS. Patients in the CAS group were more likely to be ≥90 years (p=0.004), diabetic (p=0.04), had a history of CHF (p=0.012) and a bleeding-disorder (p<0.001). Patients in the CAS group were also more likely to have high risk anatomy (p<0.001), high-risk-physiology (p=0.028). Ninety-nine (52.4%) patients in the CAS group and 2,775 (47.7%) in the CEA group were symptomatic, with most patients in both groups presenting with an ipsilateral stroke. Among asymptomatic patients, 64 (74%) in the CAS group and 2222 (72.7%) in the CEA group had severe/total stenosis (>80%-100%) of the ipsilateral carotid, while 13(14.5%) in the CAS group and 302 (11%) in the CEA group had severe or total stenosis of contralateral carotid. Among symptomatic patients, 58(61.7%) in the CAS group and 1527 (57.5%) in the CEA group were found to have severe/total stenosis of the ipsilateral-carotid, while 12(12.8%) in the CAS group and 208(7.8%) in the CEA group were found to have severe/total occlusion of the contralateral carotid. In the carotid endarterectomy group, 12.2% (n=711) underwent CEA-alone, 44.3% (n=2,575) CEA with angioplasty, 29.9% (n=1,737) CEA with angioplasty and shunt, 2.9% (n=166) CEA with shunt and 10.7%(n=166) eversion CEA. In the CAS group, 52.4%(n=99) underwent CAS with a single tapered stent, 29.1%(n=55) CAS with single tapered stent with CPD, 11.1%(n=21) single straight stent with CPD and 1.6%(n=3) a single straight stent alone. Conclusion: These analyses from real-world data show that there may be some differences in demographic and comorbid characteristics between octogenarians undergoing CAS and CEA.

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