Early outcome of carotid angioplasty and stenting versus carotid endarterectomy in a single academic center.

BACKGROUND

Evidence is accumulating that carotid angioplasty and stenting (CAS) might become an alternative to carotid endarterectomy (CEA) for the treatment of high-grade carotid artery disease (CAD). Evaluating the efficacy of this novel technique in single institutions in addition to performing further large trials can help to guide optimal patient management in everyday practice.

METHODS

In this study we compared the early outcome of 100 prospectively followed patients who underwent CAS with a retrospectively reviewed group of 142 patients that underwent CEA over the same time period. Only patients who had received pre- and postsurgical evaluations by a neurologist were included. According to the criteria set forth by the large trials the occurrence of minor or major strokes, myocardial infarction and death within 30 days was analysed.

RESULTS

Both groups had similar age and sex distributions, as well as cerebrovascular risk factors. In the group of CAS patients 63 (63%) and in the group of CEA patients 92 (65%) had a symptomatic carotid stenosis, respectively. For symptomatic patients the overall complication rate (any stroke or death) was 6.5% (3 minor and 3 major strokes) in the surgical and 8% (2 minor strokes, 2 major strokes, and 1 death) in the non-surgical group (n.s.). For asymptomatic patients there was one minor stroke (2%) in the surgical and no stroke or death in the non-surgical group. As a frequent non-neurological complication the post-procedural course was complicated by groin hematoma requiring surgery in 3 CAS patients, and neck hematoma requiring additional surgery in 3 CEA patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Within our academic institution we found comparable complication rates for CAS and CEA in patients with symptomatic or asymptomatic high-grade CAD. Although these early results are promising and support the notion that CAS may become an alternative treatment option for CAD in everyday practice, the long-term efficacy of CAS has to be evaluated critically by means of further prospective studies.