Sonographic Evaluation of Complications of Extracranial Carotid Artery Interventions

Ultrasound diagnosis of carotid artery stenosis and occlusion

Carotid artery ultrasonography is capable of diagnosing or inferring the presence or absence of stenosis or occlusion of the internal carotid artery (ICA) and vertebral artery (VA), as well as the not directly observable distal ICA, middle cerebral artery (MCA), and basilar artery (BA). Stenosis at the origin of the ICA is mainly evaluated using the parameter peak systolic velocity (PSV), with values of ≥ 200-230 cm/s indicating severe stenosis. Recently, the acceleration time ratio has been reported for diagnosis of ICA origin stenosis. An indicator called the end-diastolic (ED) ratio can be used for diagnosing occlusion of the distal ICA or the M1 segment of the MCA. The PSV of stenosis can be used to diagnose stenosis at the beginning of the VA or V1, and mean flow velocity, mean ratio, and diameter ratio can be used to diagnose distal VA occlusion. Furthermore, the usefulness of the VA pulsatility index and resistance index has been suggested for diagnosing stenosis or occlusion of the BA. This review outlines diagnostic sonography criteria for stenosis and occlusion of extracranial and intracranial arteries.

Ileal hemorrhagic infarction after carotid artery stenting: A case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Ileal hemorrhagic infarction after carotid artery stenting (CAS) is a fatal complication. The prognosis of ileal hemorrhagic infarction after CAS is very poor if not treated in a timely manner. We describe a rare case of ileal hemorrhagic infarction due to acute embolism of the mesenteric artery after CAS.

CASE SUMMARY

A 67-year-old man with acute ischemic stroke underwent CAS via the right femoral artery approach 21 d after intensive medical treatment. On the first day after surgery, the patient had abdominal distension and abdominal pain. Abdominal enhanced computed tomography revealed intestinal obstruction, severe stenosis of the superior mesenteric artery, and poor distal angiography. An exploratory laparotomy was performed, and pathological examination showed hemorrhagic ileal infarction. It was subsequently found that the patient had intestinal flatulence. With the guidance of an ultrasound scan, the patient underwent abdominal puncture, drainage, and catheterization. After 58 d of treatment, the patient was discharged from hospital with a National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score of 2 points, and a Modified Rankin Scale score of 1 point. At the 6-mo follow-up, the patient had an excellent functional outcome without stroke or mesenteric ischemia. Furthermore, computed tomography angiography showed that the carotid stent was patent.

CONCLUSION

Ileal hemorrhagic infarction is a fatal complication after CAS, usually caused by mesenteric artery embolism. Thus, more attention should be paid to the complications of embolism in the vascular system as well as the nervous system after CAS, and the complications should be identified and treated as early as possible.