Elective stenting of carotid artery stenosis in patients with severe coronary artery disease

Aims To evaluate the feasibility and safety of elective carotid stent implantation in patients with carotid stenoses and concomitant coronary artery disease, as an alternative to combined carotid and coronary surgery. Methods We treated 50 patients with >70% stenoses in 53 carotid arteries with balloon angioplasty followed by elective stent implantation. All patients had severe coronary artery disease, and/or mitral insufficiency, aortic stenosis, rhythm disorders or generalized arteriosclerosis. In three patients the opposite carotid artery was occluded; nine patients had bilateral stenoses of which two received stents bilaterally. Results Fifty-six successful stent implantations (42 Wallstents, eight BeStents, two AVE-Microstents, one Palmaz Schatz stent, three Site stents) were performed, reducing the baseline percent stenosis from 78 +/- 18% to 13 +/- 11%. Complications included three transient ischaemic attacks, one minor and one major stroke. Follow-up was available for 46 patients over a mean of 10 months. Three asymptomatic restenoses and one deformation of a BeStent occurred. Conclusion Our preliminary results indicate that carotid artery stenting in patients with concomitant severe coronary artery disease is feasible, safe, and may be an alternative to combined carotid and coronary surgery.