Objective To observe the clinical results of carotid artery stenting in symptomatic high-risk old patients. Methods Twenty patients who were hospitalized between 1998 and 1999 with symptomatic carotid artery stenosis were studied,retrospectively. Mean age of the patients was 70 years. 90% of patients complicated with hypertension,hyperlipidemia and severe coronary artery diseases,35% with diabetes,and 75% with peripheral artery obstructive disease. Carotid artery angiogram showed 26 lesions,7 located at right /left common carotid artery,and 19 at right/left internal carotid artery. The percentage of lumen stenosis in all lesions was greater than 70%. The mean lesion length was (14.5?9.2) mm. Results Acute procedural success rate confirmed by angiogram was achieved in all patients (100%). The minimal lumen diameter was increased from (1.9?1.2) mm at baseline to (5.9?1.4) mm post stenting ( P