Abstract
Stroke is the fourth leading cause of death and the number one cause of long-term
disability in the United States. Carotid stenosis is an important cause of ischemic
strokes, accounting for 20 to 25%. Previous studies have established carotid endarterectomy
as standard of care of symptomatic patients with > 50% stenosis and asymptomatic patients
with > 60% stenosis; recently, carotid artery stenting has emerged as an alternative
treatment for carotid stenosis. Several studies have been published comparing carotid
artery stenting with endarterectomy with mixed results. In this article, the authors
discuss carotid artery stenting technique, the results from the most recent trials,
and future directions.
Keywords
carotid stenosis - carotid artery stenting - stroke - interventional radiology
