Using the Casper Stent in Carotid Angioplasty: A Single Center Experience

Abstract

Objectives To establish the success rate in endovascular internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis recanalization using the double-layer stent Casper-RX (Microvention, Inc 35 Enterprise, Aliso Viejo, California, United States of America) and to identify the main comorbidities in individuals with ICA stenosis, morphological characteristics of the stenosis, diagnostic methods, intraoperative complications, as well as morbidity and mortality within 30 days of the surgical procedure. Materials and Methods Retrospective analysis of 116 patients undergoing ICA angioplasty with a degree of stenosis ≥ 70% using Casper-RX stenting who underwent this procedure from April 2015 to December 2019. Results Technical success was achieved in 99.1% of the patients. Three of them had postprocedural complications: one transient ischemic attack (TIA) and two puncture site hematomas. A cerebral protection filter was not used in only two procedures, as these consisted of dissection of the carotid. There was satisfactory recanalization and adequate accommodation of the stents in the previously stenosed arteries, with no restenosis in 99.4% of the cases. Conclusion The endovascular treatment of extracranial carotid stenoses using the Casper-RX stent showed good applicability and efficacy. Although only two cases of thromboembolic complications occurred during the procedure, further investigation and studies on the effectiveness of this new device are needed.

Keywords

• casper stent
• double-layer stent
• carotid stenosis
• angioplasty
• stroke