S. Tromp 1, M. Braat 2, J. Van Der Heijden 3, M. Van Egdom 1, P. Dekker 1, M. Haringsma 1, J. Vos 2
1 Department of Clinical Neurophysiology,
2 Department of Radiology,
3 Department of Cardiology, St. Antonius Hospital – Nieuwegein, Netherlands

Objective: We studied effects of stent design on embolisation detected by transcranial Doppler during carotid artery stenting.

Material and Methods: We studied 711 carotid stent procedures performed between December 1997 and January 2012. Three stent-types were studied: open-cell (Acculink: free cell area 11.48 mm2, n=271), semi-closed cell (Precise: 5.89 mm2, n=144) and closed-cell (Carotid Wall: 1.08 mm2, n=296). Cerebral embolisation was measured by transcranial Doppler of the ipsilateral middle cerebral artery. Isolated microembolisms and microembolic showers (cardiac cycles with too many emboli to count separately) were counted.

S. Tromp 1, M. Braat 2, J. Van Der Heijden 3, M. Van Egdom 1, P. Dekker 1, M. Haringsma 1, J. Vos 2
1 St Antonius Hospital, Department of Clinical Neurophysiology,
2 St Antonius Hospital, Department of Radiology,
3 St Antonius Hospital, Department of Cardiology – Nieuwegein, Netherlands

Objective: This study was conducted to determine if the use of an emboli protection device prevented distal embolisation in carotid stenting procedures.

Material and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data of 837 carotid stent procedures between December 1997 and January 2012. Cerebral embolisation was monitored using transcranial Doppler of the ipsilateral middle cerebral artery. Isolated microembolic signals and microembolic showers (cardiac cycles with too many embolisms to count separately) were counted.