• COUNTERPRODUCTIVE RESULTS WITH THE USE OF AN EMBOLI PROTECTION DEVICE IN THE PREVENTION OF MICROEMBOLISMS DETECTED BY TRANSCRANIAL DOPPLER IN CAROTID STENT PLACEMENT

    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.