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.

H. Takekawa, K. Suzuki, T. Nishihira, A. Iwasaki, M. Okamura, Y. Asakawa, M. Yamamoto, R. Okabe, K. Hirata
Dokkyo Medical University – Mibu, Japan

Objective: The Doppler indices, such as systolic acceleration time (AcT) have been used as parameters for peripheral arterial stenosis. However, to our knowledge, the AcT ratio has not routinely been used to evaluate the degree of internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis. To apply the AcT ratio in the assessment of carotid artery sonography as an additional marker for diagnosing ICA stenosis.

Material and Methods: Carotid artery sonography was performed in 140 consecutive patients with atherothrombotic brain infarction to evaluate extracranial ICA stenosis. The AcT ratio was calculated as the AcT of the internal carotid artery divided by the AcT of ipsilateral common carotid artery and compared with linear stenosis as calculated according to the European Carotid Surgery Trial criteria. Simple regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between the AcT ratio and ICA stenosis. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to calculate the optimal cutoff values of the AcT ratio for ICA stenosis ( > 65%).

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.