Key result
IVL-assisted CAS achieves 100% technical success without neurological complications in heavily calcified carotid disease.
Why the study?
Intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) is off-label for carotid interventions but may improve outcomes in patients with heavily calcified lesions unsuitable for carotid endarterectomy (CEA).
Does intravascular lithotripsy-assisted carotid artery stenting allow for safe and effective revascularization in patients with heavily calcified carotid lesions unsuitable for endarterectomy?
Case Report (n=3)
Does intravascular lithotripsy-assisted carotid artery stenting allow for safe and effective revascularization in patients with heavily calcified carotid lesions unsuitable for endarterectomy?
Intravascular lithotripsy-assisted carotid artery stenting appears technically feasible and safe for modifying heavily calcified lesions in patients deemed high-risk for carotid endarterectomy.
Should not yet change practice for calcified carotid lesions; hypothesis-generating and requires prospective confirmation.
Intravascular lithotripsy (IVL), although considered off-label for carotid interventions, has proven to be beneficial for the treatment of heavily calcified lesions and may improve outcomes in select patients unsuitable for open repair. We present 3 consecutive cases of IVL-assisted carotid artery stenting (CAS) performed via transfemoral and transradial approaches in patients with severe internal carotid artery calcification. All patients were considered poor candidates for carotid endarterectomy (CEA). Technical success was achieved in all cases, with no neurological complications noted during the perioperative period, 30-day follow-up (with 6-month follow-up in 2 patients since 1 was lost to follow-up). All procedures were performed using distal filter protection alone without flow reversal, in contrast to most published series. IVL may broaden CAS applicability for patients with circumferential calcification and combined high anatomic/physiologic surgical risk who are not candidates for CEA. Further studies are warranted to evaluate long-term outcomes and optimal patient selection.
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Saucedo et al. (2025) conducted a case report in Heavily calcified carotid artery stenosis (n=3). Intravascular lithotripsy (IVL)-assisted carotid artery stenting was evaluated on Technical success and perioperative neurological complications. Intravascular lithotripsy-assisted carotid artery stenting achieved 100% technical success with no perioperative neurological complications in three high-risk patients with heavily calcified lesions.
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