Distal Filter Protection Research Articles

Forearm access for carotid artery stenting using the dual protection of flow reversal and distal filter: Trans-forearm dual protection technique.

Although transfemoral carotid artery stenting (CAS) is widely performed for carotid stenosis, serious or even fatal complications such as embolic and access site complications can still occur. We devised a novel dual protection system with continuous flow reversal to the cephalic vein of the forearm in transradial CAS, referred to as the "trans-forearm dual protection" technique. A 75-year-old man with a diagnosis of symptomatic left cervical internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis underwent CAS using the trans-forearm dual protection technique. A 4F sheath was introduced into the cephalic vein of the right forearm. After an 8F balloon-guiding catheter was navigated into the left common carotid artery (CCA) via right sheathless radial access, a distal filter protection device was advanced into the high cervical ICA. The 8F balloon-guiding catheter was inflated and connected to the 4F sheath with a blood filter interposed. Under the dual protection of flow reversal and distal filter, the CAS procedure was performed. The postprocedural course was uneventful. Diffusion-weighted imaging 2 days after the procedure showed no evidence of ischemic stroke. The patient was discharged home without any complications 1 week after the procedure. Carotid duplex ultrasound performed 9 months after the procedure showed no signs of restenosis. This method allows for CAS under the dual protection of flow reversal and filter device protection via the trans-forearm access, reducing the risk of embolism and access site complications. Therefore, the trans-forearm dual protection technique can be a useful option for CAS.

Outcome of CAS under flow reversal and analysis for the intraprocedural flow of internal carotid artery

ObjectiveCarotid artery stenting (CAS) under flow reversal with dual protection using a proximal balloon and distal filter has been an established procedure for internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis. This study investigates the effect of external carotid artery (ECA) occlusion on outcomes of CAS and ICA flow under flow reversal. MethodsWe reviewed 231 cases of CAS under flow reversal with ECA occlusion and 32 without. In the last 14 of 32 cases, the flow in the ICA under flow reversal was analyzed by ultrasound. The collateral index, which was defined as the total value of the maximum diameters of the ipsilateral anterior cerebral artery at the A1 segment and the anterior communicating artery, as well as those of the ipsilateral posterior cerebral artery at the P1 segment and the ipsilateral posterior communicating artery, and the maximum diameter of the ipsilateral ECA were correlated with the flow direction in the ICA. ResultsThere was no significant difference in the outcome of CAS between the groups with or without ECA occlusion. Among the 14 cases without ECA occlusion, antegrade flow in the ICA was observed in 6 cases (42.9 %). The group with the antegrade flow in the ICA exhibited a significantly lower collateral index (5.08±0.33 vs 6.71±0.28, p=0.01) and a significantly larger ECA diameter (4.66±0.51 mm vs 3.21±1.24 mm, p=0.01) than the group with the stagnant or retrograde flow in the ICA. ConclusionsThe outcomes of CAS under flow reversal were acceptable even without ECA occlusion. The ECA occlusion may not be necessary for CAS under dual protection; however, distal filter protection should be used even under flow reversal.

Safety and Risk Factors of Carotid Artery Stenting with Simple Distal Filter Protection: A Single-Center Retrospective Study.

Carotid artery stenting embolic protection devices offer various options, among which distal filter protection is the simplest and easiest to handle. However, compared to balloon protection systems, distal filter protection has more embolic complications. Therefore, we explored the risk factors of distal filter protection, intending to achieve a safer carotid artery stenting. This retrospective study was conducted to identify prognostic factors following carotid artery stenting with only distal filter protection from July 2010 to June 2021. Information on patient background, procedures and devices, and complications was collected using medical records. The data pertaining to 187 patients were analyzed after excluding the data of patients in whom other protection devices (8 cases) were used. We used FilterWire EZ as the first choice for embolic protection device and SpiderFX when the patients had difficult-to-cross lesions. The patients' mean age was 71.9 ± 6.9 years, and 72 (38.5%) were symptomatic. Symptomatic (odds ratio: 2.02, p = 0.035) and difficult-to-cross lesions (odds ratio: 3.63, p = 0.0013) were factors independently associated with symptomatic complications. This retrospective single-center study established independent prognostic factors for carotid artery stenting with distal filter protection. For patients with symptomatic lesions and severe stenosis or bends that are difficult to pass through, it is necessary to be careful when performing carotid artery stenting with distal filter protection.

Head-to-head comparison of two embolic protection devices in carotid artery stenting

Abstract Introduction Embolic protection devices (EPD) have been developed to reduce the risk of distal embolization and have become ubiquitous in carotid interventions. There are two classes of EPD: distal filter EPD (f-EPD) and proximal EPD (p-EPD). However, the best device for carotid artery stenting (CAS) has yet to be established. Purpose We aimed to assess and compare the early prognosis between the f-EPD and p-EPD groups in patients undergoing CAS. Methods Single-center, retrospective study. Patients who underwent CAS from 2000 to 2022 were included. The composite of transient ischemic attack(TIA)/stroke and death at 24 hours and 30 days were evaluated. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 28.0.1.1 software. Results A total of 436 patients were included (380 and 56 patients used f-EPD and p-EPD, respectively). The population's mean age (±SD) was 71,8 (±8,2) years, 74,8% men. There was a significant prevalence of arterial hypertension (88,3%), dyslipidemia (75,9%), diabetes (33,9%), and smoking background (25,9%). Regarding baseline clinical characteristics, arterial hypertension was more prevalent in the f-EPD group, with statistical significance (91,7% vs. 78,8%; p=0,003). Concerning the indications for carotid intervention, 16,1% of patients were asymptomatic but had severe stenosis, and 39,4% had neurological symptoms. In 41,9% of patients, the procedure was accomplished before cardiac surgery (coronary artery bypass graft or valvular surgery). Regarding the first 24 hours after the procedure, the combined endpoint of TIA/stroke or death occurred in 3,4% of patients in the f-EPD group and 3,6% in the p-EPD group, with no statistically significant difference (p=1,000). The incidence of TIA/stroke was also similar in both groups (3,2% and 3,6% in the f-EPD and p-EPD groups, respectively; no statistical difference was found; p=0,694). The early mortality rate was slightly lower in the f-EPD group (0,8%) compared with the p-EPD group (1,8%), though this difference did not reach statistical significance (p=0,424). During the 30-day follow-up, the combined endpoint of TIA/stroke or death occurred in 1,6% of patients in the f-EPD group and 1,8% in the p-EPD group, with no statistically significant difference (p=1,000). The incidence of TIA/stroke was lower in the f-EPD group (1,1%) compared to the p-EPD group (1,8%), however, no statistical difference was found (p=0,499). Regarding mortality rate, the incidence in the f-EPD group was 0,5%, in contrast with no events in the p-EPD group (statistical analysis not possible to compute). Conclusion In this cohort, no significant differences were found between the distal filter and proximal embolic protection devices in the risk of TIA/stroke and death at 24 hours and 30 days after carotid artery stenting. However, conclusions should be carefully drawn since the distal filter EPD was used more often than the proximal EPD, making direct comparisons challenging.

TCT-365 Comparison of Distal Filter Protection Versus Proximal Balloon Occlusion for Carotid Artery Stenting: Results From a Registry of 2,180 Patients

TCT-365 Comparison of Distal Filter Protection Versus Proximal Balloon Occlusion for Carotid Artery Stenting: Results From a Registry of 2,180 Patients

Impact of Carotid Stent Design on Embolic Filter Debris Load During Carotid Artery Stenting.

The carotid stent design may influence the risk of embolization during carotid artery stenting. The aim of the study was to assess this risk by comparing the quantity of embolized material captured by filters during carotid artery stenting, using different stent designs. We conducted a single-center retrospective study of patients undergoing carotid artery stenting for asymptomatic carotid stenosis >70% (2010-2022) in a tertiary academic hospital (Padua University Hospital, Italy). Carotid stents were classified according to their design as open-cell (OCS), closed-cell (CCS), or micromesh stents (MMS). A distal filter protection was used in all patients, and the amount of captured embolized particles was semiautomatically analyzed using a dedicated software (Image-Pro Plus, Media Cybernetics). Primary end point was embolic filter debris (EFD) load, defined as the ratio of the filter area covered by particulate material to the total filter area. Secondary end points were 30 days major stroke and death. Four-hundred-eighty-one carotid artery stentings were included; 171 (35%) using an OCS, 68 (14%) a CCS, and 242 (50%) a MMS. Thirty-days mortality was 0.2% (n=1) and major stroke rate was 0.2% (P=0.987). Filters of patients receiving MMS were more likely to be free from embolized material (OCS, 30%; CCS, 13%; MMS, 41%; P<0.001) and had a lower EFD load (OCS, 9.1±14.5%; CCS, 7.9±14.0%; MMS, 5.0±9.1%; P<0.001) compared with other stent designs. After stratification by plaque characteristics, MMS had a lower EFD load in cases of hypoechogenic plaque (OCS, 13.4±9.9%; CCS, 10.9±8.7%; MMS, 6.5±13.1%; P<0.001), plaque length>15 mm (OC, 10.2±15.3; CC, 8.6±12.4; MM, 8.2±13.6; P<0.001), and preoperative ipsilateral asymptomatic ischemic cerebral lesion (OCS, 12.9±16.8%; CCS, 8.7±19.5%; MMS, 5.4±9.7%; P<0.001). After multivariate linear regression, use of MMS was associated with lower EFD load (P=0.038). The use of MMS seems to be associated with a lower embolization rate and EFD load, especially in hypoechogenic and long plaques and in patients with a preoperative evidence of asymptomatic ischemic cerebral lesion.

Silent Micro-Infarct in Carotid Artery Stenting: Who Has it and Why?

Carotid stenosis (CS) is one of the modifiable risk factors for stroke. We aimed to compare the postprocedural cerebral diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) findings in cases of CS-related carotid plaques in terms of plaque morphology, degree of stenosis, and the use of a distal protection filter. We also used DWI to assess the asymptomatic cerebral embolism rates during carotid artery stending (CAS) operations performed for noncalcified versus calcified carotid plaques. Our study included 99 patients admitted to the Ankara City Hospital Stroke Center in 2022. All of our patients have been evaluated and scheduled for CAS as a result of a decision made by the council. Cases of stenosis of 50% in symptomatic patients and 70% in asymptomatic patients were included. The patients were grouped according to their Doppler ultrasonography results. All of the patients underwent DWI within the first 24 hours after the procedure, and then two groups of patients were compared. A statistically significant difference was found between the distributions of the presence of silent micro-infarcts on DWI in terms of plaque characteristics (p 0.001). In the patients with normal DWI findings, the percentage of calcified plaques was 38.7%, while the percentages of hypoechoic plaques, plaques with low echogenicity, and ulcerated plaques were 91.3%, 85.7%, and 78.8%, respectively. The rates of calcified plaques and ulcerated plaques differed in the group of patients with silent micro-infarcts. The rate of silent micro-infarcts was 61.3% in the patients with calcified plaques, 8.7% in those with hypoechoic plaques, 14.3% in those with low-echogenicity plaques, and 21.2% in those with ulcerated plaques. The study found that carotid stents implanted in calcified and ulcerated plaques had a higher correlation with the presence of periprocedural asymptomatic ipsilateral DWI findings than those implanted in hypoechoic plaques and low-echogenicity plaques.

Absolute and relative contraindications to proximal protection: do they really matter? A case-illustrative approach.

Carotid artery stenting (CAS) is an established technique to treat carotid artery stenosis. Favorable results have been reported in different subsets of patients in both acute and long-term settings. Among the CAS periprocedural variables the type of cerebral protection - distal filter and proximal protection - play a pivot role to reduce cerebral embolization. Accumulating evidence is in favor of better performance of proximal protection vs. distal filters. However, the rate of worldwide penetration of this devise is low. Potential reasons include a lengthy list of technical issues that may account for the reluctance of filter-oriented operators to change systems. This paper shows how to identify, treat, and overcome these technical obstacles.

Stenting of ultraembolic hazardous carotid stenotic lesions using the technique of triple antiembolic protection

Objective ‒ to develop a technique of triple antiembolic protection with the simultaneous use of proximal antiembolic protection systems, distal antiembolic filters and two-layer micromesh carotid stents for carotid stenting of ultraembolic hazardous carotid stenosis. Evaluate its effectiveness and safety.Materials and methods. Since 2016, 23 carotid stenting of ultraembolic hazardous carotid stenoses has been performed using the technique of triple antiembolic protection (proximal antiembolic protection systems, distal antiembolic filters and two-layer micromesh carotid stents). All patients had symptomic stenosis: transient ischemic attacks in a certain carotid pool (n = 7), ischemic strokes (n = 16). The age of patients was from 57 to 84 years. Men prevailed among patients (n = 15). Postoperative follow-up included magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain on the first or second day after surgery with T2*, FLAIR and DWI sequences to determine the presence of «fresh» embolic ischemic foci and to exclude hemorrhagic complications. After 6 months, a control clinical examination, computed tomography or MRI of the brain, ultrasound angioscanning of the main arteries of the head were performed.Results. In all patients the patency of the carotid arteries was completely restored, and in the early postoperative period, no clinical signs of recurrent ischemic brain damage were detected in any of the cases. No signs of plaque prolapse through the stent were detected in any case. A significant amount of atheromatous debris was in 11 cases when aspirated on an external filter. In 3 cases, emboli were also detected in the distal protection filter. This fact indicates that the joint use of distal and proximal antiembolic systems reliably protects against the risk of embolism in such cases. According to MRI on the 1st or 2nd day there were no signs of «fresh» subclinical embolic ischemic foci, as well as hemorrhage. In 20 patients who underwent a follow-up examination, no signs of restenosis in the stent were recorded in any case, as well as repeated ischemic strokes. In 7 cases where the plaque had an ulcer, the ulcer resolved under the stent. Three patients are expected for a follow-up examination. According to the remote survey, these patients do not have new ischemic brain lesions. The effectiveness of the technique of triple antiembolic protection for the treatment of patients with subtotal ultraembolic hazardous carotid stenosis is indicated by the absence of clinical and neuroradiological signs of recurrent ischemic lesions.Conclusions. The technique of triple antiembolic protection for the treatment of patients with subtotal ultraembolic hazardous carotid stenoses is safe and highly effective. It is the improvement of carotid stenting results in this most dangerous group that gives reason to think about revealing the advantages of carotid stenting over carotid endarterectomy in general.

Preliminary Experience With Transcranial Doppler Monitoring in Patients Undergoing Carotid Artery Revascularization: Initial Observations on Cerebral Embolization Patterns

Intraoperative transcranial Doppler (TCD) monitoring allows us to see intracranial blood flow changes related to endovascular and surgical manipulation in real time. This study evaluates the results of TCD monitoring during transcarotid artery revascularization (TCAR) with flow reversal, carotid endarterectomy (CEA) without shunt, with a shunt (shCEA), and transfemoral carotid artery stenting (tfCAS) with distal filter protection. Patients who underwent carotid artery revascularization with TCD monitoring were included. Patient demographics and medical history were recorded based on medical documentation. Intraoperative TCD, hemodynamics, fluoroscopy images, and surgical manipulation were recorded simultaneously with a 4-channel video recording system, and based on the recordings, the number of high-intensity signals (HITS) and middle cerebral artery (MCA) flow changes were registered. HITS during contrast injections were not included in the analysis due to the high number of artifacts. HITS were compared between the four groups, and HITS during lesion crossing/predilation/stent deployment/postdilation were compared between the tfCAS and TCAR groups. Thirty six patients were involved (mean age 69.5 ± 10.59 years; 24 male) (9 CEA; 11 shCEA; 4 tfCAS; 12 TCAR). Hypertension, diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, and smoking were frequent in all groups. Median number of HITS for CEA, shCEA, tfCAS, and TCAR were 5 (range: 0-90), 10 (range: 3-72), 197.5 (range: 153-340), and 29 (range: 2-74), respectively. The number of HITS during TCAR was not significantly different compared to CEA or shCEA but significantly lower than in patients receiving tfCAS ( P &lt; .01). Procedural phases of lesion crossing, predilation, stent deployment, and postdilation were associated with significantly higher HITS during tfCAS than TCAR ( P = .002, P = .006, P = .04, P = .006, respectively). The number of embolic events during TCAR is comparable with CEA with and without a shunt and associated with a significantly lower HITS rate than tfCAS with distal filter protection. According to our results, TCAR appears to be a safer alternative to tfCAS.

Carotid Stenting: Flow Reversal Technique: 2-Dimensional Operative Video.

Management options for carotid stenosis include medical management, carotid endarterectomy, carotid stenting with distal filter protection, or stenting with either flow arrest or flow reversal techniques.1 Flow reversal with transcarotid artery revascularization (TCAR) technique represents a hybrid approach with surgical access to the common carotid for endovascular placement of a stent in the internal carotid artery. This direct access to the carotid artery avoids navigating the challenging anatomy of the aortic arch with endovascular devices.2 Compared to transfemoral stenting, TCAR possesses lower risk of transient ischemic attack and stroke, and compared to carotid endarterectomy, there is less risk of cranial neuropathy.3,4 We present the case of an 87-yr-old man with recurrent severe stenosis (85%) of the right internal carotid artery. The patient had a remote history of bilateral endarterectomies for asymptomatic stenosis and was found with recurrence and progression of right internal carotid artery stenosis. Options were discussed and decision was made to proceed with TCAR after he consented for the procedure. The patient tolerated the procedure well with satisfactory revascularization. Exam remained unremarkable prior to discharge on postoperative day 1 and during follow-up at 1 mo. Patient consented to the publication of their image.

Endovascular Repair of Radiation-induced Bilateral Common Carotid Artery Stenosis and Pseudoaneurysm with Covered and Uncovered Stent Graft using Double Embolic Protection Device

Purpose: We present an unpublished case of bilateral carotid injury due to radiation-induced treated by endovascular therapy using double embolic protection device as a novel technique. Methods: Extracranial carotid artery pseudoaneurysm is a rare condition among head and neck cancer patients treated with radio therapy. We report a case of pseudoaneurysm in the right Common Carotid Artery (CCA) and critical stenosis in the left CCA. A 72 years-old patient laryngeal cancer treated with laryngectomy and radiotherapy 26 years before admission. He presented to us complaining of right neck pain and right hemispheric TIA symptoms. Results: Performed ultrasonography and magnetic resonance angiography revealed right Common Carotid Artery (CCA) pseudoaneurysm (size:13x25 mm) and critical stenosis in the left CCA. Endovascular treatment was performed in bilateral carotid artery using covered stent in pseudoaneurysms in the right CCA and uncovered stent due critical stenosis in the left CCA using double embolic protection device. Both procedures showed successful exclusion of the pseudoaneurysm and widely patent artery. Conclusion: Endovascular treatment in injury artery radiation-induced is safe and effective approach with low rate complications. The combined use of proximal cerebral protection devices and distal filter protection could decrease the rate of cerebral embolization procedure related.

Carotid artery stenting with persistent primitive hypoglossal artery performed by carotid direct puncture and double distal filter protection: a case report

Carotid artery stenting with persistent primitive hypoglossal artery performed by carotid direct puncture and double distal filter protection: a case report

Long-Term Clinical Outcomes After Filter Protection During Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Patients With Attenuated Plaque - 1-Year Follow up of the VAMPIRE 3 (Vacuum Aspiration Thrombus Reemoval 3) Trial.

Selective use of distal filter protection during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for acute coronary syndromes (ACS) decreased the incidence of no-reflow phenomena and in-hospital serious adverse cardiac events compared with conventional PCI in patients with attenuated plaque ≥5 mm; however, its long-term clinical outcome remains unknown. Patients who had ACS with attenuated plaque ≥5 mm were assigned to receive distal protection (DP) (n=98) or conventional treatment (CT) (n=96). The rate of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), a composite of death from any cause, non-fatal myocardial infarction, or target vessel revascularization (TVR) at 1 year, was the pre-specified secondary endpoint of the trial. MACE at 1 year occurred in 12 patients (12.2%) in the DP group and 3 patients (3.1%) in the CT group (P=0.029), which was driven by a higher risk of TVR (11 [11.2%] vs. 2 [2.1%], P=0.018). In patients treated with bare-metal stents (n=42), MACE occurred in 25.0% of the patients in the DP group and in none of the patients in the CT group (P=0.029), whereas in patients treated with drug-eluting stents (n=151), rates of MACE were similar in the groups (8.1% vs. 3.9%, P=0.32). In ACS patients with attenuated plaque ≥5 mm, the 1-year rates of MACE were higher in the DP group than in the CT group. This effect might be mitigated by the use of drug-eluting stents.

Use of distal protection filter device for rescue mechanical thrombectomy for symptomatic free-floating thrombus of the cervical internal carotid artery.

Intraluminal free floating thrombus (FFT) of the cervical internal carotid artery (ICA) is a potentially high-risk lesion for recurrent ischemic strokes, with no single optimal treatment established. To describe a novel interventional technique for mechanical thrombectomy of intraluminal free floating thrombus using a distal protection filter device and aspiration. We identified two cases where anticoagulation was contraindicated in patients with intraluminal FFT and minimal underlying stenosis. In both cases, a distal protection device was used to extract the thrombus under proximal flow arrest and aspiration. Mechanical thrombectomy was successful in both cases, one with "en bloc" removal of the thrombus and one with piecemeal removal. Neither case showed any residual angiographic stenosis or atherosclerotic disease. Mechanical thrombectomy using a distal protection device is a novel and technically feasible approach for select cases of cervical intraluminal thrombus. This may represent a therapeutic option in select cases with high risk of anticoagulation and in the unusual subset of younger patients with minimal atherosclerotidc disease.

Very Low Rate of New Brain Lesions After Vulnerable Carotid Artery Stenting Cases Using Only FilterWire EZ as Distal Embolic Protection

Although carotid artery stenting (CAS) has been widely acknowledged as an effective alternative option for patients at high risk of carotid endarterectomy, embolic stroke is a major complication of CAS. Several reports have emphasized that distal protection filter alone is associated with a high risk of embolic complications of CAS with vulnerable plaque. Thus, relatively complicated protection systems have recently been recommended to prevent distal embolic complications. However, those protection systems require many steps, which, themselves, can also cause complications. The FilterWire EZ embolic protection device (EPD) for use in CAS was approved for national health insurance coverage in Japan in 2010. Since then, we have been using it as an EPD in all CAS procedures, even those with vulnerable plaque. The medical records of 80 patients who had undergone CAS from February 2014 to September 2019 at Moriyama Memorial Hospital were retrospectively reviewed. Emergent cases with distal mechanical thrombectomy were not included. We enrolled patients whose target lesion was vulnerable as evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging and who had undergone diffusion-weighted imaging studies the next day. Of the 80 patients, 60 had met the inclusion criteria. No symptomatic embolic complications developed, and only 5 patients (8.3%) had shown new lesions on diffusion-weighted imaging after CAS. The rate of new lesions after CAS with vulnerable plaque was much lower than that in previous studies. We meticulously analyzed the data to determine the predictive factors. The FilterWire EZ as an EPD for CAS is quite safe, even for vulnerable carotid stenosis.

Safety and efficacy of staged angioplasty for patients at risk of hyperperfusion syndrome: a single-center retrospective study

Intracranial hemorrhage following hyperperfusion syndrome (HPS) is a rare but potentially fatal complication after carotid artery stenting (CAS). Staged angioplasty (SAP) is a two-stage form of CAS that can prevent the abrupt increase of cerebral blood flow. In this study, we investigated the safety and efficacy of SAP. One hundred thirty-four patients who underwent CAS for high-grade carotid artery stenosis between January 2010 and December 2018 were enrolled. Patients who showed severe impairment of hemodynamic reserve in 123I-IMP SPECT with acetazolamide received SAP (SAP group), while the others received regular CAS (RS group). Twenty-six (19.4%) patients at risk for HPS received SAP. HPS was not observed in either group. Diffusion-weighted image (DWI)-positive lesions on postoperative MRI were observed in 56 (52.3%) cases in the RS group and 16 (64.0%) cases in the SAP group. Symptomatic procedure-related complications occurred in 5 (4.6%) cases in the RS group and 1 (3.8%) case in the SAP group. These differences were not statistically significant. Modified Rankin Scale score had declined 30days after discharge in 4 (3.0%) cases. Distal filter protection was significantly correlated to the occurrence of new DWI-positive lesions. For patients at high risk of HPS, SAP was a reasonable treatment strategy to prevent HPS. SAP did not increase the rate of DWI-positive lesions or procedure-related complications compared with regular CAS.

A Comparative Quantitative Analysis of Embolic Filter Debris Load During Carotid Artery Stenting, Between Open Cell, Closed Cell And Micromesh Stents

Introduction: The design of the stent used in carotid artery stenting (CAS) may influence the amount of embolized material during the procedure, responsible of perioperative neurological complication. The aim of the study was to compare the quantity of embolized material captured by filters during CAS, using different types of stent design (open/closed cell and micromesh). Methods: All patients with carotid stenosis >70% undergoing CAS between 2010 and 2018 were included in a prospective database. Stents were classified according to their design as micromesh (MMS), open-cell (OCS) and closed-cell stents (CCS). A distal filter protection was used in all patients; at the end of the procedure, the filter was fixed in formalin and then analyzed with a stereo-microscope. Morphometric analysis was performed with Image-Pro Plus software (Media Cybernetics). Embolic filter debris load (EFD) load, defined as the ratio of the filter area covered by particulate material to the total area of the filter membrane, was quantified as percentage and compared between different types of stents. Also thirty-days neurological complication, as stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA), were compared. Results: 275 consecutive CAS were included in the analysis; a MMS was used in 43 cases (15.6%), an OCS in 168 (61.0%), and a CCS in 64 (23.2%). No perioperative deaths were reported. Overall, perioperative stroke was 2.5% (MMS: n=1, 2.3%; OCS: n=4, 2.4%; CCS: n=2, 3.1%; P=.489), while TIA rate was 3.6% (MMS: n=1, 2.3%; OCS: n=7, 4.1%; CCS: n=2, 1%; P=.873), without differences between subgroups. The filters quantitative analysis revealed that any quantity of EFD was present in 70.5% of cases; filters of patients receiving MMS were more likely to be free from embolized material compared to other subgroups (MMS: n=20, 46.5%; OCS/CCS: n=52, 23.3%; P=.003). The overall mean EFD load was 8.9±13.7%, with a significantly lower quantity reported in the MMS subgroup (MMS: 5.8±9.9%, OCS: 8.5±12.9%, CCS: 11.3±17.2%; P=.048). Compared to other types of stents, MMS had a significantly lower EFD load in particular in cases with hypoechogenic plaque (MMS: 7.6±7.0%; OCS/OCC: 20.7±21.6%; P=< .001) and in patients with preoperative ipsilateral asymptomatic ischemic lesion at the cerebral CT (MMS: 7.9±12.1%; OCS/OCC: 13.4±18.7%; P=.015), while there were no significant differences in case of plaque length >15mm (MMS: 8.4±14.7%; OCS/OCC: 9.5±13.0%; P=.598), kinking/coiling (MMS: 10.7±16.2%; OCS/OCC: 9.5±10.0%; P=.621), and carotid restenosis (MMS: 5.9±13.2%; OCS/OCC: 6.8±11.3%; P=.641). Conclusion: The use of MMS seems to be associated to a significantly lower embolization rate and EFD load, especially in cases of hypoechogenic plaque and preoperative evidence of asymptomatic ischemic cerebral lesion; however the use of MMS did not resulted in a reduction of the overall 30-day neurological complication rate. Disclosure: Nothing to disclose

P2810Clinical outcomes 1 year after filter protection during percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with attenuated plaque identified by intravascular ultrasound

Abstract Background In the VAMPIRE 3 (VAcuuM asPIration thrombus REemoval 3) trial, we have previously shown that selective use of distal filter protection during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) decreased the incidence of no-reflow phenomenon and was associated with fewer in-hospital serious adverse cardiac events than conventional PCI in patients with attenuated plaque ≥5mm. However, whether the early efficacy of distal embolic protection translate into long term clinical benefit is unknown. Methods Patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) with attenuated plaque ≥5mm were assigned to distal protection (DP) (n=98) or conventional treatment (CT) (n=96). The primary end point of the incidence of no-reflow phenomenon during PCI and the secondary end point of in-hospital serious adverse cardiac events has been reported previously. The rate of a major adverse events, a composite of death from any cause, non-fatal myocardial infarction, or unplanned target vessel revascularization (TVR) at 1 year was the prespecified secondary end point of the trial. All clinical endpoint events were adjudicated by an independent Clinical Event Committee. Results Major adverse events at 1 year occurred in 12 patients (12.2%) in the DP group and in 3 patients (3.1%) in the CT group (P=0.029). The difference was driven by a higher risk of TVR (11 [11.2%] vs. 2 [2.1%], p=0.018) in the DP group compared with the CT group. In patients treated with bare metal stents (n=42), major adverse events occurred in 25.0% of the patients in the DP group and in none of the patients in the CT group (P=0.029), whereas in patients treated with drug eluting stents (n=152), rates of major adverse events were similar between the groups (8.1% vs. 3.9%, p=0.32). Rates of cardiac death were not significantly different (1.0% vs. 1.0%, p=1.00). No definite stent thrombosis was observed in either group. Conclusions In the VAMPIRE 3 trial of patients with ACS with attenuated plaque ≥5mm, the 1-year rates of major adverse events in the distal protection group were higher than in the conventional treatment group. This effect could be mitigated by the use of drug eluting stents. Acknowledgement/Funding This work was supported in part by a grant from Nipro, Boston Scientific Corporation, and Japan Lifeline.

Therapeutic mechanism and regularity of “treating angina pectoris from spleen” in Coronary Heart Disease caused by “spleen deficiency and phlegm”

Although Mo.Ma Ultra is an embolic protection device for interrupting the anterograde blood flow to the internal carotid artery, incomplete blood stagnation is often observed. We report the effectiveness of the combined use of a distal filter protection device and Mo.Ma Ultra (Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN).Our case series comprises 10 consecutive patients (11 carotid arteries) who underwent carotid artery stenting (CAS) using Mo.Ma Ultra and FilterWire EZ (Boston Scientific, Natick, MA).The superior thyroid artery originated from the proximal side of the bifurcation of the common carotid artery, except for 1 artery. Although complete blood stagnation was observed in 6 arteries, filter debris was detected in 3 of these 6 arteries. Positive postoperative findings on diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging were observed in 3 cases (3 arteries). Only 1 patient had transient neurological deficits.The combined use of a distal filter protection device and Mo.Ma Ultra could provide a more reliable embolic protection in CAS.