Endovascular carotid interventions: review of types and outcomes

Abstract

Endovascular carotid interventions have become mainstay in management of many carotid artery diseases. A number of carotid artery pathologies, over 100 cases, were encountered and treated endovascularly over a 10 year period. These included carotid artery fibro muscular     dysplasia, thrombosis, aneurysms, dissections, tumours, AVFS and AVMS.In most of the pathologies, access was via a right femoral arterial puncture. Luminal patency was restored via balloon angioplasty and /or thrombolysis. In cases of embolization, glue, coils, Particles, gel foam, onyx or coils were used either solely or in combination. Technical and clinical outcomes were over 95% in all cases, with some pathologies like carotid AVMS requiring staged treatments. We conclude that all carotid vascular pathologies encountered locally are amenable to various endovascular therapies with good technical and clinical outcomes. These should be considered in the first instance for endovascular therapy and not as a last resort.