Safety and Risk Factors of Carotid Artery Stenting with Simple Distal Filter Protection: A Single-Center Retrospective Study

Objective: Carotid artery stenting embolic protection devices offer various options, among which distal filter protection is the simplest and easiest to handle. However, compared to balloon protection systems, distal filter protection has more embolic complications. Therefore, we explored the risk factors of distal filter protection, intending to achieve a safer carotid artery stenting. This retrospective study was conducted to identify prognostic factors following carotid artery stenting with only distal filter protection from July 2010 to June 2021. Methods: Information on patient background, procedures and devices, and complications was collected using medical records. The data pertaining to 187 patients were analyzed after excluding the data of patients in whom other protection devices (8 cases) were used. We used FilterWire EZ as the first choice for embolic protection device and SpiderFX when the patients had difficult-to-cross lesions. Results: The patients' mean age was 71.9 +/- 6.9 years, and 72 (38.5%) were symptomatic. Symptomatic (odds ratio: 2.02, p = 0.035) and difficult-to-cross lesions (odds ratio: 3.63, p = 0.0013) were factors independently associated with symptomatic complications. Conclusion: This retrospective single-center study established independent prognostic factors for carotid artery stenting with distal filter protection. For patients with symptomatic lesions and severe stenosis or bends that are difficult to pass through, it is necessary to be careful when performing carotid artery stenting with distal filter protection.