A review of the trials comparing carotid endarterectomy and carotid angioplasty and stenting.

In the last decade, carotid artery angioplasty and stenting (CAS) has gained popularity as an alternative to carotid endarterectomy (CEA) for the treatment of carotid stenosis, particularly in patients who are at high operative risk. CAS offers the advantage of being a less invasive procedure, potentially minimizing the risks of wound complications and cranial nerve injury, which may translate into shorter length of hospitalization and less resource utilization. Since the advent of CAS, several randomized controlled trials and carotid stent registry trials have been conducted comparing the outcomes of CEA with those of CAS for the treatment of carotid stenosis in both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. This review will summarize the results of randomized controlled trials (CAVATAS, WALLSTENT, SAPPHIRE, EVA-3S, SPACE, and CaRESS) as well as pivotal carotid registry studies (ARCHeR, BEACH, CAPTURE, CASES-PMS, CREATE, and CABernET) intended to evaluate the safety and efficacy of CEA and CAS in treatment of carotid stenosis. In addition, it will provide a preview of the current ongoing and future trials examining the safety, applicability, and indications of CAS and CEA (CREST, CAVATAS-2, ACT 1, and TACIT).