Eversion carotid endarterectomy for recurrent stenosis after carotid angioplasty/stenting

Restenosis requiring treatment after carotid angioplasty/stenting is uncommon in clinical practice. Treatment options include repeat angioplasty (with or without another stent) or carotid endarterectomy. This report describes a patient with recurrent stenosis treated with eversion carotid endarterectomy and stent removal.     

血管内支架成形术治疗基底动脉狭窄

目的 探讨血管内支架成形术治疗基底动脉狭窄的近期疗效。方法 20例症状性基底动脉狭窄应用球囊膨胀支架行血管内成形术治疗。结果 12例基底动脉恢复正常管径，8例狭窄程度减小80％以上，无手术相关并发症。无短暂性脑缺血发作(Transient ischemic sttack，TIA)或卒中再发作。脑血管造影随访13例，均无血管再狭窄。结论 血管内支架成形术治疗基底动脉狭窄的近期疗效令人满意。     

颈动脉狭窄支架血管内成形术并发症23例分析

目的探讨颈动脉狭窄支架血管内成形术并发症发生的机制、预防和预后。方法回顾性分析 1997～ 2 0 0 3年接受颈动脉支架术的 312例患者中 2 3例并发症的资料。结果本组 2 3例并发症包括轻微并发症 19例 (6 1% ) ,其中 10例表现为术中一过性心率和血压下降 (3 2 % ) ;6例在球囊扩张时表现为一过性脑缺血症状 (1 9% ) ;3例在成功置入支架后出现血压下降 ,对症处理后恢复。严重并发症 4例 (1 3% ) ,其中术中栓子脱落 1例术后偏瘫经对症治疗后恢复 ;支架移位 1例、颈外动脉闭塞 1例无神经功能障碍以及术后过度灌注出血 1例 ,患者死亡。结论颈动脉狭窄支架血管内成形术可能发生严重的并发症 ,熟悉并发症产生的机制有利于预防其发生。     

Transluminal angioplasty versus surgical repair for stenosis of hemodialysis grafts. A randomized study

A randomized study of transluminal angioplasty versus surgical revision for stenosis at the venous end of hemodialysis grafts was carried out. Median patency for the surgical group was 12 months versus only 4 months for the transluminal angioplasty group. This difference was statistically significant (p less than 0.01). In addition, the average cost for surgical revision was slightly less than that for transluminal angioplasty. Therefore, for long-term patency, surgical treatment is the method of choice, although under special circumstances there may still be a role for transluminal angioplasty.     

Technical strategies for recurrent carotid stenosis following angioplasty and stenting

As the number of carotid angioplasty and stent procedures increases, vascular surgeons should anticipate the need for increased surgical correction for complications of stenting and, particularly, in-stent restenosis. This study reviews operative technique alternatives for hemodynamically significant recurrent carotid stenosis following angioplasty and stent placement. Four techniques have been used for repair of carotid in-stent restenosis. All operations were performed with continuous electroencephalographic monitoring. Stents were completely removed in two patients. Operations performed were (1) longitudinal arteriotomy through the stent with patch angioplasty, (2) common carotid to distal internal carotid artery (ICA) bypass with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), (3) subclavian to distal ICA bypass with PTFE, and (4) carotid endarterectomy with complete stent removal and patch angioplasty. Mean operative time was 133 +/- 22 min. Mean follow-up was 27.5 +/- 29 months. There were no postoperative strokes, myocardial infarctions, or deaths. No cranial nerve injuries were noted. No patients developed postoperative neck hematomas requiring return to the operating room. All patients were stable at follow-up without evidence of recurrent stenosis on postoperative duplex ultrasound. Repair of carotid restenosis following angioplasty and stenting can be achieved with or without complete stent removal. Multiple technical approaches may be required, depending on the length and location of the lesion and stents, the presence of complete common carotid occlusion, and the degree of surrounding inflammation.     

The evolving surgical management of recurrent carotid stenosis.

The traditional approach to recurrent carotid stenosis has been repeat endarterectomy or patch angioplasty. Concern with the durability of repeat carotid endarterectomy has resulted in our use of carotid resection with autogenous graft interposition. This study was designed to determine the outcome and efficacy of carotid resection compared with repeat carotid endarterectomy in the management of recurrent carotid stenosis. From 1974 to 1991, 162 operations (repeat carotid endarterectomy 105, carotid resection 57) were performed for recurrent carotid stenosis. Indication for operation was hemispheric symptoms in 63% of patients, nonlateralizing symptoms in 25%, asymptomatic stenosis in 7%, and previous stroke in 5%. Ninety-one percent of patients had stenosis greater than 90% on arteriography. The perioperative stroke rate for carotid resection was 3.5%, with a subsequent rate of 0.0064 strokes per year. For repeat carotid endarterectomy, the perioperative stroke rate was 1.9% with a subsequent rate of 0.011 strokes per year. Graft patency after carotid resection was 93% (mean follow-up, 35 months). Four patients treated with carotid resection had graft thrombosis, and two of the four remained asymptomatic. After repeat carotid endarterectomy, one patient had carotid thrombosis, and recurrent stenosis greater than 50% developed in 23 patients (mean follow-up, 64 months). Twenty patients treated with repeat carotid endarterectomy underwent an additional operation for further symptomatic recurrent carotid stenosis. We conclude carotid resection is a safe and effective alternative to repeat carotid endarterectomy for patients undergoing operation for recurrent carotid stenosis.     

Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stent placement for recurrent carotid artery stenosis

OBJECT: Treatment consisting of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) and stent placement has recently been proposed as an alternative to surgical reexploration in patients with recurrent carotid artery stenosis following endarterectomy. The authors retrospectively reviewed their experience after performing 25 procedures in 21 patients to assess the safety and efficacy of PTA with or without stent placement for carotid artery restenosis. METHODS: The mean interval between endarterectomy and the endovascular procedures was 57 months (range 8-220 months). Seven arteries in five patients were treated by PTA alone (including bilateral procedures in one patient and repeated angioplasty in the same vessel in another). Early suboptimum results and recurrent stenosis in some of these initial cases prompted the authors to combine PTA with stent placement in the treatment of 18 arteries over the past 3 years. No major periprocedural deficits (neurological or cardiac complications) or death occurred. There was one periprocedural transient neurological event, and in one patient a pseudoaneurysm of the femoral artery (at the access site) required surgical repair. In the 16 patients who each underwent at least 6 months of follow-up review, no neurological events ipsilateral to the treated artery had occurred after a mean follow-up period of 27 months (range 6-57 months). Three of five patients who underwent PTA alone developed significant (>50%) asymptomatic restenoses that required repeated angioplasty in one and PTA with stent placement in two patients. Significant restenosis (55%) was observed in only one of the vessels treated by combined angioplasty and stent placement. CONCLUSIONS: Endovascular PTA and stenting of recurrent carotid artery stenosis is both technically feasible and safe and has a satisfactory midterm patency. This procedure can be considered a viable alternative to surgical reexploration in patients with recurrent carotid artery stenosis.     

Carotid angioplasty and stenting versus redo endarterectomy for recurrent stenosis

BACKGROUND: Carotid angioplasty and stent (CAS) is an alternative to redo carotid endarterectomy (RCEA) for recurrent carotid stenosis (RCS). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of CAS in the treatment of RCS. METHODS: In an 8-year period, all patients presenting for treatment of RCS were followed-up prospectively. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify variables associated with unfavorable outcomes. RESULTS: There were 45 CAS and 46 RCEA procedures performed in 75 patients. One patient in each group suffered a stroke. There were no deaths. The hospital length of stay was significantly shorter for CAS. Secondary recurrence was higher after RCEA (14% vs 6.1%) and failure to take beta-blockers was an independent predictor for multiple recurrences. CONCLUSIONS: CAS is a safe and effective method to treat patients with RCS and may become the procedure of choice for this disease.     

Staged stent-assisted angioplasty for symptomatic intracranial vertebrobasilar artery stenosis

OBJECT: Medically refractory symptomatic vertebrobasilar atherosclerotic disease has a poor prognosis. Studies have shown that longer (> or = 10 mm), eccentric, high-grade (> 70%) stenoses portend increased procedure-related morbidity. The authors reviewed their experience to determine whether a staged procedure consisting of angioplasty followed by delayed (> or = 1 month later) repeated angioplasty and stent placement reduces the morbidity associated with endovascular treatment of symptomatic basilar and/or intracranial vertebral artery (VA) stenoses. METHODS: The authors retrospectively reviewed the medical records in a consecutive series of eight patients who underwent planned stent-assisted angioplasty for medically refractory, symptomatic atherosclerotic disease of the intracranial posterior circulation between February 1999 and January 2002. Staged stent-assisted angioplasty was planned for these patients because the extent and degree of stenosis of the VA and/or basilar artery (BA) lesion portended an excessive procedure-related risk. The degree of stenosis, recent onset of symptoms (unstable plaque), vessel tortuosity, and lesion length and morphological feaures were contributing factors in determining procedure-related risk. Patient records were analyzed for location and degree of stenosis, preprocedural regimen of antiplatelet and/or anticoagulation agents, devices used, procedure-related complications, and clinical and radiographic outcomes. Among the patients in whom staged stent-assisted angioplasty was planned, vessel dissection, which necessitated immediate stent placement, occurred during passage of the balloon in one of them. In a second patient, the stent could not be maneuvered through the tortuous VA. In a third patient, the VA and BAs remained widely patent after angioplasty alone, and therefore stent placement was not required. Significant complications among the eight patients included transient aphasia and hemiparesis in one and a groin hematoma that necessitated surgical intervention in another; there was no permanent neurological morbidity. The mean stenosis before treatment was 78%, which fell to 54% after angioplasty, and the mean residual stenosis after stent placement was 30%. At the last follow-up examination, none of the treated patients had further symptoms attributable to the treated stenosis. CONCLUSIONS: The novel combination of initial angioplasty followed by delayed endoluminal stent placement may reduce the neurological morbidity associated with endovascular treatment of long, high-grade stenotic lesions. Attempting to cross high-grade stenoses with higher-profile devices such as stents may result in an embolic shower. Furthermore, neointimal proliferation and scar formation after angioplasty result in a thickened fibrous layer, which may be protective during delayed stent deployment. Larger-scale studies involving multiple centers are needed to elucidate further the lesion morphological characteristics and patient population most likely to benefit from staged procedures.     

症状性椎基底动脉狭窄经皮腔内支架成形的初步研究

目的探讨经皮腔内支架成形治疗椎基底动脉狭窄的临床疗效及适应证。方法2004年4月-2006年12月共收治22例患者：优势侧椎动脉狭窄4例；双侧椎动脉狭窄3例；一侧椎动脉狭窄、对侧椎动脉闭塞8例；单纯基底动脉狭窄5例；优势或“孤立”椎动脉狭窄合并基底动脉串联病变2例。治疗的24处病变：椎动脉开口8例，V4段椎动脉9例，基底动脉7例；Mori A型病变16例，B型病变8例。结果22例患者技术成功率95％，术前平均狭窄率为78．3％，术后残余狭窄率平均15％（P〈0．01）。除1例基底动脉支架成形致血管破裂出血死亡，余病例在围手术期内未发生严重并发症。17例患者随访1～24个月（平均13．5个月），Malek评分为1分者12例，2分者4例，3分者1例。结论症状性椎基动脉狭窄支架成形术疗效确切，但手术的难度和风险仍较大，临床就其适应证和长期疗效需要进一步积累经验。     

Operative intervention for recurrent stenosis after carotid stent angioplasty: a report

Carotid artery angioplasty and stenting is gaining popularity, yet the natural history and optimal treatment for recurrent stenoses within stents are not known. Recurrent stenosis rates are not well characterized, with rates between 0 and 33% reported within the first year. Treatment of these lesions with repeat angioplasty may not be feasible or desirable, leading to operative interventions. We present two cases of asymptomatic high-grade in-stent restenosis treated successfully with carotid artery bypass using PTFE.     

颈动脉狭窄支架成形术

1994年Marks和Mathias将支架技术应用于高位颈动脉夹层,Theron和Mathias以及Roubin和他的同事首先使用了这些方法治疗颈动脉狭窄,颈动脉狭窄支架成形术（CAS）应用于临床已经有10余年了。到目前颈动脉狭窄支架治疗的有效性还没有得到最后的证实,目前比较内膜剥脱术与支架治疗的试验正在进行当中,主要有：北美的CREST（Carotid Revascularization Endarterectomy versus Stent Trial）。欧洲的CAVATAS（Carotid and Vemebral Artery Transluminal Angioplasty Study）和SPACE（Stent Protected Angioplasty versus Carotid Endarterectomy）。大概1～3年后会有一定的结果。以指导CAS和CEA的应用。     

Secondary recurrent carotid stenosis

Purpose: Recurrent carotid stenosis after carotid endarterectomy has been extensively reported. The occurrence, however, of another ipsilateral restenosis that requires a third carotid operation is rare. The purpose of this study was to evaluate possible risk factors and the most efficacious management of the patient with “secondary” recurrent carotid stenosis.Methods: A survey of the Southern Association for Vascular Surgery was performed, and 31 patients who had had surgery for secondary recurrent carotid stenosis were identified.Results: The mean interval between the recurrent stenosis operation and secondary recurrent carotid stenosis was 39.8 months (range, 9 to 83 months). At the third operation, 21 patients underwent carotid patch angioplasty and 10 underwent carotid resection with an interposition saphenous vein graft. No postoperative strokes or deaths occurred; three patients (10%) had a peripheral nerve injury. Nine early (<24 mo) secondary recurrent carotid stenoses occurred, and these patients underwent patch angioplasty. Twenty-three female, cigarette-smoking patients and 20 patients with elevated lipid levels had early restenosis and were identified as being at high risk for the development of another stenosis. A fourth significant stenosis developed in five of these high-risk patients who had saphenous vein patch angioplasty at their third carotid operation; eight other high-risk patients had carotid resection with an interposition saphenous vein graft, and no other stenosis developed.Conclusion: Patients who have secondary recurrent carotid stenoses can safely undergo a third carotid operation. Female habitual smokers with elevated lipid levels and an early restenosis appear to be at high risk of secondary recurrent carotid stenoses. When surgery is necessary, carotid resection with an interposition saphenous vein graft appears more durable than patch angioplasty. (J Vasc Surg 1996;24:424-9.)     

Early recurrent carotid artery stenosis

IntroductionEarly recurrent carotid artery stenosis, defined as stenosis occurring within 2 years of carotid endarterectomy, occurs in 4% to 36% of patients. Management of asymptomatic early recurrent stenosis is controversial because of different outcomes in multiple natural history studies. Optimal follow-up post–carotid endarterectomy has not been defined. The purpose of this study was to determine the natural history of early recurrent stenosis and to define the optimal duplex surveillance strategy during follow-up.MethodsPatients who underwent carotid endarterectomy between January 1995 and June 1998 at a single tertiary-care institution were reviewed retrospectively. Data were collected regarding degree of stenosis, closure technique, neurologic morbidity, mortality, and the intervals between postoperative duplex studies. These results were compared with accepted rates in the literature. Life-table analysis was done on restenosis-free survival. Discrete variables were tested for significance by chi-square analysis and Fisher’s exact test. A p value less than or equal to 0.05 was considered significant.ResultsTwo hundred thirty-one carotid endarterectomies in 226 patients were evaluated. A total of 57 (24.6%) of 231 carotid endarterectomies had recurrent stenosis. These 57 sites were in 56 patients. Fifty-four (23.4%) of 231 sites had a stenosis of 16% to 59%. All of these lesions were asymptomatic and found within 1 year of carotid endarterectomy on duplex imaging. The 3 (1.3%) remaining sites had a restenosis of greater than 60%. Early recurrent stenosis occurred more frequently in women (women 28/80 [35%] vs. men 28/146 [19.2%]). High-grade stenosis occurred more often with primary (1/5 [20%]) than with patch (2/226 [0.8%]) closure and in patients less than 65 years of age.     

Factors affecting recurrent carotid stenosis

Recurrent carotid stenosis is an ongoing process that may develop at or near the site of an operational or interventional procedure to treat an atheromatous stenosis. Although such a restenosis is most often initially without symptoms, as the disease progresses it may become symptomatic, and thus endanger the patient's life. Such patients are therefore candidates for revisional surgery. Extensive research investigation and numerous studies have incriminated several risk factors as predisposing conditions for recurrent carotid stenosis. The definite role of each predisposing factor, however, is still widely debated. Clarifying the extent of involvement of each factor in the pathogenesis of carotid restenosis is indeed demanding, as it would contribute enormously to the identification of the group of high-risk patients, and, therefore, determine the therapeutic approach in these patients.     

Outcome after carotid endarterectomy for asymptomatic carotid stenosis

Objective: To compare the long-term outcome in patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis (ACS) among those treated with carotid endarterectomy (CE) or medical therapy.

Background: Until randomized trials are completed, treatment of ACS will depend on identification of subgroups likely to benefit from CE.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was done on 215 patients with ACS: 107 underwent CE, and 108 were treated medically (MED). A neurologist reviewed medical records and performed a telephone interview to detect outcome (stroke and death). Mean follow-up was 3.8 years; only 4% were lost to follow-up.

Results: Among CE patients, there was a 4.7% risk of postoperative ipsilateral stroke within 30 days. Four of five postoperative strokes occurred among patients with prior contralateral symptoms. There was no significant difference between CE and MED in the cumulative lifetable 5-year risk of ipsilateral stroke, any stroke, or survival free of any stroke. Among diabetics, however, there were no ipsilateral strokes at 5 years after CE compared to 20% in MED (p = 0.03). Excluding postoperative complications, the 5-year risk of ipsilateral stroke was reduced among CE patients who “ever smoked” (CE 1%, MED 8%, p = 0.03) and the 5-year risk of any stroke was reduced among CE patients who had no prior myocardial infarction (CE 6%, MED 16%, p=0.02). Among those with prior contralateral carotid territory symptoms, the 5-year risk of any stroke was worse in the MED patients (CE 5% MED 32%, p=0.004). Among CE patients, a Cox proportional hazards model determined that the independent predictors of worse long-term outcome were: a history of myocardial infarction; admission systolic blood pressure greater than 160 mm Hg; and age greater than 65.

Conclusion: The approach to patients with ACS will await completion of large, randomized clinical trials, now in progress. Even if these studies are negative, there may remain specific subgroups of patients who show clear benefit from carotid endarterectomy.     

Long-term follow-up for recurrent stenosis: A prospective randomized study of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene patch angioplasty versus primary closure after carotid endarterectomy

Purpose: To determine the effect of primary closure (PC) versus expanded polytetrafluoroethylene patch graft angioplasty (PGA) on the incidence of recurrent stenosis (>50% lumen diameter narrowing) after carotid endarterectomy (CEA), 87 patients undergoing 100 consecutive CEA were prospectively randomized into two groups.Methods: Forty-four patients underwent 51 PC, and 43 patients underwent 49 PGA. All patients were evaluated after operation by duplex scanning at 1.5, 12, 24, and 36 months. There were no significant differences in the demographic characteristics or operative indications for CEA between the two patient groups. Complete follow-up was achieved in 86% (75/87) of the patients during the 36-month surveillance period.Results: The perioperative permanent neurologic morbidity in the PC and PGA groups was noted to be 4% and 2%, respectively (PC = 2/51 vs PGA = 1/49, p = 0.58). Three additional reversible cerebral ischemic events occurred in the postoperative period (PC = 2/51 vs PGA = 1/49, p = 0.58). Other morbidity included immediate postoperative hemorrhage requiring reexploration (1/51) in the PC group and an infected expanded polytetrafluoroethylene patch requiring removal and replacement with autogenous vein (1/49). Long-term follow-up detected a single patient with significant bilateral restenoses of his primarily closed carotid arteries. None of the patients in the PGA group had restenoses (PC = 2/51 vs 0/49, p = 0.50). In addition, no postoperative dilation of the common or internal carotid arteries or perioperative death was observed.Conclusions: In patients undergoing CEA, these data demonstrate no significant difference in the perioperative morbidity or mortality between PC and PGA. Use of the patch did not engender patients to patch rupture or aneurysmal degeneration as previously described with vein patch angioplasty procedures. This series supports effective use of either technique to achieve minimal rates of restenosis. (J VASC SURG 1994;19:198-205.)