The effect of increasing operator experience on procedure-related characteristics in patients undergoing carotid artery stenting

ObjectivesTo evaluate the efficacy and safety of carotid artery stenting for the treatment of severe carotid artery disease in our department and to investigate the effect of increasing operator experience on perioperative and procedure-related characteristics.MethodsFrom January 2007 to February 2015 200 patients underwent 207 endovascular procedures for carotid artery stenosis. Of all, 113 arteries (56.5%) were symptomatic. Significant changes across time were calculated with the use of Change Point analysis using bootstrap and mean squared error estimates.ResultsThe technical success was 98.6% (204/207 cases). Thirty-day neurological events included stroke in four patients (2%) and transient ischemic attack in two (1%). None of the patients died during the first 30 days. The most significant change of radiation duration occurred after the 33rd patient with a decrease from 25.31 min to 12.31 min, while for the total operative time that change occurred between the 31st and 33rd patient where mean operati...