Endovascular treatment of carotid stump syndrome

Interventional recanalization as a treatment of carotid stump syndrome caused by right internal carotid artery occlusion: A case report

RATIONALE

Carotid stump syndrome is a cerebral infarction caused by an embolus formed subsequent to the vortex of blood flow from the occluded stump, which then moves through the collateral vessels into the brain. The covered stent and stent-assisted coil embolization stump are the effective interventions for the carotid artery stump.

PATIENT CONCERNS

A 71-year-old man twice experienced left limb weakness; diffusion weighted imaging confirmed the diagnosis of cerebral infarction. Cervical computed tomography angiography, intracranial magnetic resonance angiography, and digital subtraction angiography were conducted to evaluate collateral circulation, intraluminal composition, and shape of the carotid stump.

DIAGNOSES

The patient was diagnosed with cerebral infarction and right carotid stump syndrome.

INTERVENTION

The patient underwent interventional recanalization of the occluded internal carotid artery, which relieved his symptoms and led to satisfactory therapeutic outcomes during the clinical follow-up.

OUTCOMES

A 9-month clinical follow-up revealed no stroke recurrence.

LESSONS

Interventional recanalization for the carotid artery stump syndrome is feasible. Accurate preoperative evaluation including collateral circulation, intraluminal composition, and shape of the carotid stump can assure a successful vascularization and guided management.

Outcome following open and endovascular intervention for carotid stump syndrome

Carotid stump syndrome is defined as the persistence of retinal or cerebral ischaemic events with complete occlusion of the ipsilateral internal carotid artery. The aim of this retrospective cases series was to assess the outcomes for patients with carotid stump syndrome managed with surgical intervention. A series of 11 cases of carotid stump syndrome in nine patients presented to our tertiary vascular centre from October 2004 to February 2016. Indications for intervention were amaurosis fugax, transient ischaemic attacks and stroke. In total, 11 procedures were performed on nine patients including carotid angioplasty and stenting or carotid endarterectomy with patching. The mean follow-up period was 56.6 months. One patient suffered a myocardial infarction 30 days, post-operatively, and one patient was lost to follow-up. In the remaining seven patients, there was a complete resolution of symptoms. There were no incidents of death, stroke, cranial nerve injury, wound haematoma or procedural bleeding. Surgical exclusion of carotid stumps combined with dual antiplatelet agents was found to be a safe and effective treatment method for carotid stump syndrome.