Stratifying Carotid Diseases for Endovascular Treatments

Endovascular angioplasty and stenting (CAS) has evolved as an alternative for treating occlusive carotid diseases in recent years. Carotid diseases are characterized by manifold etiologies and miscellaneous clinical manifestations. Although CAS is efficacious in treating patients with occlusive carotid diseases as a whole, the long-term risk-benefit ratio may vary in individual patients. Interventional strategies, such as angioplasty and stenting, should be individualized based on the etiology and clinical profiles to maximize the benefits and minimize the hazards of treatment. Based on recent publications, this review proposes a stratified treatment strategy for occlusive carotid diseases. Copyright (C) 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel