Practical Carotid Artery Stenting

In the management of vascular disease, there has been an inexorable drive towards less invasive endovascular treatment options. Endovascular treatment of carotid stenosis for stroke is no exception. Several sizeable multicentre trials are running concurrently, which are comparing carotid endarterectomy (CEA), the 'gold standard,' with the less invasive alternative, carotid stenting (CAS) for low-risk patients with symptomatic carotid stenoses who are considered to be surgical candidates. The endovascular option is in itself a newcomer but state-of-the-art CAS with regards use of all the available technical refinements, to include low-profile monorail dedicated systems with contemporary pharmacological support, is perhaps all but five years old. There is considerable interest from clinicians from a variety of clinical backgrounds and from industry in this technique and, therefore, scope for a contemporary practical guide.

Gerard P Stansby, BA, MBBChir, MA, FRCS, MChir, is a Professor of Vascular Surgery, Freeman Hospital and University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. He is an experienced editor of several books and journals and has published books on surgery and venous diseases (Goldberg & Stansby, Surgical Talk; Surgery for Finals, World Scientific Book Publishing, 1999 ISBN 1-86094-077-3 '2nd edition 2005; Belcaro, Nicolaides, & Stansby, The Venous Clinic, Imperial College Press.1997, ISBN 1-86094-051-X; Labropoulos & Stansby, Venous and Lymphatic Diseases, Marcel Dekker ltd. 2006, ISBN 0824729234). He is a consultant vascular surgeon, experienced in carotid surgery and patient selection. He has published research on carotid surgery and is the author of the Royal College of Surgeons STEP course section on carotid disease.

Sumaira Macdonald, MBChB, MRCP, FRCR, PhD, is a Consultant Vascular Radiologist & Honorary Clinical Senior Lecturer, The Freeman Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, who has been responsible for setting up the carotid stenting program in Newcastle. She is also involved with several trials of carotid stenting, and regularly proctors and teaches the technique nationally and internationally.