Distal protection devices such as FilterWire EX have been widely used in carotid artery stenting, however, the large amount of atherothrombotic debris entrapped in the filter could reduce or stop antegrade flow. We present a case of pseudo-no-reflow phenomenon after postdilatation of the stent in a patient with asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis. After several passes using an Export Aspiration catheter, normal flow in the internal carotid artery was restored. Aspiration thrombectomy can successfully recover pseudo-no-reflow phenomenon.
Aged ; Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation ; Carotid Arteries/radiography/surgery ; Carotid Stenosis/diagnosis/radiography/*surgery ; Humans ; Male ; *No-Reflow Phenomenon ; Stents ; Thrombectomy/*instrumentation

Rapid arterial rethrombosis is associated with high-grade residual stenosis and usually occurs at the site of the initial occlusion, resulting in reocclusion of the recanalized artery. Platelets may play an active role in such rethrombosis after thrombolytic-induced clot lysis. Given that glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor blockers, like tirofiban, prevent thrombus formation by inhibiting the final common pathway of platelet aggregation, they may be helpful for treating rethrombosis after thrombolysis. A 64-year-old man presented with an acute ischemic stroke due to internal carotid artery (ICA) occlusion. The ICA was recanalized by intravenous thrombolysis but reoccluded shortly after recanalization. The reoccluded ICA was successfully recanalized using intra-arterial tirofiban. A carotid stent was subsequently inserted to relieve severe stenosis and to prevent recurrent stroke. Here, we report a case of rescue treatment of a successfully recanalized ICA by intra- arterial tirofiban. We suggest that rescue use of intra-arterial tirofiban may be effective and safe, especially in hemorrhage prone situations, due to the relatively lower dose of tirofiban compared with intravenous doses.
*Carotid Artery, Internal ; Carotid Stenosis/*drug therapy/radiography/surgery ; Emergency Treatment ; Humans ; Infusions, Intra-Arterial ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Stents ; Tyrosine/administration & dosage/*analogs & derivatives/therapeutic use

PURPOSE: During carotid angioplasty and stenting (CAS), hemodynamic instability (HDI) can occur, possibly causing post-procedural ischemic complications. The goal of this study was to investigate the risk factors of HDI focusing on characteristics of plaque. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty nine CAS patients were retrospectively evaluated for HDI. Prolonged HDI that lasted over 30 minutes was analyzed in relation to characteristics of calcified plaque. RESULTS: Nineteen (48.7%) patients had HDI. Ten of the 19 had both bradycardia and hypotension, and nine had only bradycardia. All bradycardia was treated well with a transcutaneous temporary cardiac pacemaker. But eight patients presented with prolonged hypotension in spite of recovery of bradycardia. Calcified plaque was a related factor associated with HDI (odds ratio, 8.571; 95% confidence interval, 1.321-55.62; p=0.024). Extensive and eccentric type calcified plaques were associated with prolonged hypotension (p=0.04, and p=0.028, respectively). CONCLUSION: The calcification of plaque is a predictable factor of HDI during CAS, and its extensive and eccentric calcified plaques may be related to prolonged HDI.
Aged ; Angioplasty/*adverse effects ; Bradycardia/complications ; Carotid Arteries/*surgery ; Carotid Stenosis/*physiopathology ; Female ; *Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Hypotension/complications ; Intraoperative Complications/*etiology/radiography ; Intraoperative Period ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Stents ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

We describe two cases of branch retinal artery occlusion (BRAO) after carotid artery (CA) stenting. Case 1: A 57-year-old man diagnosed with left neovascular glaucoma was admitted to our department for trabeculectomy (He had complained of decreased visual acuity (VA) in the left eye for a month). A preoperative neck angio CT scan showed bilateral CA stenosis. After CA stenting, he contracted visual defects on the right superior area of his right eye. Upon examination, VA with correction was found to be 1.0 (OD), but right fundoscopy revealed ischemic retina whitening along the inferior temporal arcade. Case 2: A 64-year-old man received left CA stenting for severe stenosis in the Department of Neurology. The next day, he was referred to us for acute onset of a left naso-inferior visual field defect. Upon initial examination, his VA with correction was 0.8/0.16 (OD/OS) and fundoscopy revealed ischemic retina whitening at the superior posterior pole in the left eye. It was not necessary to treat the BRAO in these cases because the foveal capillary network was not invaded at 2 month follow ups, VA was preserved in both cases. In conclusion, ophthalmic evaluation is important after CA stenting because of a possible embolic occlusion of the retinal artery.
Angiography ; Carotid Stenosis/radiography/*surgery ; Fibrinolytic Agents/therapeutic use ; Fluorescein Angiography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fundus Oculi ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retinal Artery Occlusion/diagnosis/drug therapy/*etiology ; Stents/*adverse effects ; Visual Acuity ; Visual Fields