[Cerebral protection from ischaemia during carotid endarterectomy]

[Long-term results conventional and eversion carotid endarterectomy]

OBJECTIVE

To analyze immediate and long-term results of conventional and eversion carotid endarterectomy (CEA) within a multicenter registry.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This retrospective, multi-center, comparative study included 375 patients who underwent CEA between February 1, 2018 and February 1, 2022. Depending on the type of operation, the sample was stratified into the eversion CEA (group 1, n=218) and conventional CEA with plasty of the reconstruction area with a diepoxy-treated xenopericardium patch (group 2, n=157). The long-term follow-up period was 26.5±18.3 months. Information about the condition of patients and the development of complications was obtained by telephone questioning and calling patients to the clinic for a follow-up examination.

RESULTS

No myocardial infarction was diagnosed in the hospital postoperative period. There were no statistically significant differences in the frequency of acute cerebrovascular accident. The only cause of death after conventional CEA was hemorrhagic stroke. According to the section study, the cause of death was edema with dislocation of the brain stem. The remaining strokes in both groups (1 case each) were of the ischemic type. The probable cause was a distal embolism following the use of a temporary shunt. During conservative treatment, the neurological deficit completely regressed on days 21 and 26, respectively. In the late postoperative period, significant differences were obtained in the incidence of stroke (group 1: n=2; 0.91%; group 2: n=6; 3.8%; p=0.05; OR - 0.23; 95% CI=0.04-1.17) and restenosis of the internal carotid artery (ICA) more than 60% (group 1: n=0; group 2: n=11; 7.0%; p<0.0001; OR - 0.03, 95% CI=0.001-0.49).

CONCLUSION

The eversion CEA technique demonstrated a lower risk of developing hemodynamically significant restenosis of the internal carotid artery in the long-term follow-up period. To obtain convincing evidence of the effectiveness of eversion or conventional CEA, additional randomized multicenter trials with the inclusion of results in clinical guidelines are required.

Stenting of the artery of Dr A.N. Kazantsev in the acute period of ischemic stroke

The A.N. Kazantsev artery is a vessel starting from the common carotid artery with subsequent bifurcation into 2 vessels of equal size-the internal carotid artery (ICA) and the persistent embryonic hypoglossal artery (PEHA). Until now, this artery has been considered as the ICA. However, according to all existing classifications, the ICA in the cervical segment does not have arterial branches. In addition, in view of the comparable sizes of PEHA and ICA, PEHA itself cannot be considered a branch of the ICA. Thus, by the right of the first description, the authors of the article named this vascular formation as the A.N. Kazantsev artery, which forms a bifurcation of the PEHA and ICA. In this clinical case, carotid angioplasty (CAS) was performed with stenting of 80% stenosis of the A.N. Kazantsev artery in the most acute period of acute cerebrovascular accident (ACV). According to angiography, the following was also revealed: the presence of PEHA, extending from the A.N. Kazantsev artery 5 cm above its mouth, connecting with the main artery; stenosis of the right vertebral artery 60% at the mouth; hypoplastic left vertebral artery with aplasia of the V4 segment; open circle of Willis (VC): absence of both posterior communicating arteries (PCA). Due to the high risk of recurrent CVA due to clamping of the A.N. Kazantsev artery during CEA, a multidisciplinary consultation decided to implement an emergency CAS of the A.N. Kazantsev artery. The distal embolism protection system FilterWire was inserted into the proximal part of the basilar artery through the radial artery on the left. The distal embolism protection system RX Accunet was inserted into the distal parts of the left ICA through the left common femoral artery. According to Seldinger, an Acculink stent 7-10 × 30 mm was inserted into the affected area of the A.N. Kazantsev artery, positioned and opened. The postoperative period was uneventful. ACV did not recur. Conducted dual antiplatelet therapy (acetylsalicylic acid 125 mg in the afternoon + clopidogrel 75 mg in the morning). The patient was discharged from the institution on the 10th day after the operation in a satisfactory condition.

[Stagewise treatment of tandem lesions of the internal carotid artery in patients with ischaemic stroke]

AIM

The study was aimed at assessing the results of a stagewise approach to surgical treatment of patients with ischaemic stroke and tandem lesions of coronary arteries.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We analysed the results of treating a total of 19 patients with ischaemic stroke having endured in 2017-2018 surgical interventions for tandem lesions of the internal carotid artery. All 19 patients with tandem lesions underwent as the first stage of surgical treatment recanalization of the intracranial portion of the internal carotid artery. Nine patients were subjected to thromboextraction followed by carotid stenting (Group One), ten underwent thromboextraction and carotid endarterectomy (Group Two). One patient was subjected to simultaneous endovascular intervention at the intra- and extracranial level, in 18 patients reconstruction of the internal carotid artery at the extracranial level (second stage) was performed within a postponed period (3-5 days). In the postoperative period we assessed neurological deficit and the results of 90-day survival.

RESULTS

No deterioration of neurological deficit was observed after the first stage of surgical treatment. There were statistically significant differences in the degree of regression of a stagewise treatment at discharge, with predominance in the second group. The 90-day survival rate had no prevalence in either group, despite 1 lethal outcome in a patient with simultaneous thromboextraction and stenting of the extracranial portion of the internal carotid artery.

CONCLUSION

Adequate prevention of haemorrhagic transformation of the damaged zone of cerebral tissue in patients with ischaemic stroke caused by tandem lesions of carotid arteries may be ensured by means of selecting stagewise treatment, i. e., postponed elimination of extracranial stenosis of the internal carotid artery. Given a small sample size, the study requires further examination and assessment of the obtained results.