Evaluation of the self-expanding effect of carotid stents in the early postoperative period

Purpose To evaluate the expansion effect of self-expandable stents during the first week after carotid artery stenting (CAS) procedure and to examine the variation of the effect according to the carotid plaque type. Methods Seventy stenotic carotid arteries of 69 patients were stented by using self-expanding Wallstents with diameters of 7 and 9 mm, after detection of stenosis and plaque type by Doppler ultrasonography. Post-stent aggressive ballooning was avoided and residual stenosis rates were measured with digital subtraction angiography. After the stenting procedure, the caudal, narrowest, and cranial diameters of stents were measured with ultrasonography at 30 min, first day and first week. Stent diameter increase and change according to plaque type were evaluated. Two-way repeated measure ANOVA test was used for statistical analysis. Results A significant increase was observed in the mean stent diameter in the three stent regions (caudal, narrow, and cranial) from the 30th minute to the first and seventh days ( p < 0.001). The most prominent stent expansion occurred in the cranial and narrow segments within the first day. In the narrow stent region; Stent diameter increase between 30th minute-first day, 30th minute-first week, and first day-first week were all significant ( p < 0.001). At 30 min, first day, and first week, no significant difference was detected between plaque type and stent expansion in caudal, narrow, and cranial regions ( p = 0.286). Conclusion We think that keeping the lumen patency limited to 30% residual stenosis after CAS procedure by applying minimal post-stenting balloon dilatation and leaving the remaining lumen expansion to the self-expanding feature of the Wallstent might be a sensible approach in order to avoid embolic events and excessive carotid sinus reactions (CSR).