Urgent Carotid Artery Stenting for Carotid-Related Stroke-in-Evolution

BACKGROUND: Stroke-in-evolution (SIE) is a major outcome determinant in patients with acute ischemic stroke. The benefit of surgery for treatment of carotid artery-related SIE remains controversial. OBJECTIVE: To retrospectively evaluate the use of carotid artery stenting (CAS) as a possible alternative treatment in patients with carotid-related SIE. METHODS: Ten patients with carotid-related SIE were treated with CAS from May 2005 to December 2014. The mean initial National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score was 5.4 ± 4.4. Two patients had total occlusion of the internal carotid artery, and 8 had severe stenosis. The mean interval from symptom onset to clinical deterioration was 2.9 ± 2.9 d. The mean NIHSS score after deterioration was 14.3 ± 4.5. In the hemodynamic assessment using perfusion imaging, the ipsilateral cerebral hemodynamics was impaired in 7 of 8 patients. RESULTS: All patients underwent urgent CAS in the acute phase of SIE. Seven patients underwent CAS using flow reversal with or without distal protection. No procedure-related complications occurred in any patients, although 1 patient developed aspiration pneumonia. The mean NIHSS score 7 d after CAS was 4.8 ± 2.3. Six patients (60%) had a modified Rankin scale score of 0 to 2 at discharge. CONCLUSION: Urgent CAS for carotid-related SIE with hemodynamic impairment appears to be an effective method for achieving good clinical outcomes.