Endovascular treatment of carotid artery stenosis

Stent angioplasty of atherosclerotic carotid artery stenosis has proven its benefit in 912 treated vessels with a success rate of 99 % and a rate of permanent neurological deficit of 2.7 %. The procedure is indicated in symptomatic patients with a stenosis of > 70 % and in asymptomatic patients > 80 %. The early and late results are not significantly different from those of carotid surgery. But the endoluminal treatment is more gentle to the patient, requires a shorter hospital stay and reduces the costs of the treatment. Moreover, patients who are no longer surgical candidates for general medical or local reasons or can only be dealt with surgically with a comparably high risk can be treated.