Purpose: To examine whether carotid artery stenting (CAS) of stenoses with unstable plaque using a closed-cell stent-in-stent technique prevents plaque protrusion. Materials and Methods: Between December 2014 and August 2018, 35 consecutive patients (mean age 75.8 years; 29 men) with carotid artery stenosis (20 symptomatic) and unstable plaque diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging were prospectively analyzed. Mean diameter stenosis was 83.5%. All CAS procedures were performed with stent-in-stent placement of Carotid Wallstents using an embolic protection device and conservative postdilation. The technical success rate, incidence of plaque protrusion, ischemic stroke rate within 30 days, and new ipsilateral ischemic lesions on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) within 48 hours after CAS were prospectively assessed. Follow-up outcomes included the incidences of ipsilateral stroke and restenosis. Results: The technical success rate was 100%. No plaque protrusion or stroke occurred in any patient. New ischemic lesions were observed on DWI in 10 (29%) patients. During the mean 11.6-month follow-up, no ipsilateral strokes occurred. Two (6%) patients developed asymptomatic restenosis recorded as 53% lumen narrowing and occlusion, respectively. Conclusion: CAS using a closed-cell stent-in-stent technique for unstable plaque may be useful for preventing plaque protrusion and ischemic complications.
Keywords: carotid artery stenting; closed-cell stents; diffusion-weighted imaging; plaque protrusion; restenosis; stroke; unstable plaque.