Carotid artery stenting by non-femoral arterial approach in patients with difficult anatomy

Abstract Background Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and carotid artery stenting (CAS) are safe, effective, and standard methods to treat significant carotid artery stenosis. CAS is generally performed through femoral arterial access. We had six patients with significant carotid artery stenosis, who had difficult anatomy prohibiting a trans-femoral CAS. Those patients were given an option for CEA. However, they refused for surgical intervention. Aim We investigated the feasibility of performing CAS from a non-femoral arterial approach in patients with difficult anatomies like severe aortic/aorto-iliac disease, tortuous aortic arch, and tortuous carotid artery origin. Materials and Methods Six patients with difficult anatomy presented to us with either transient ischemic attack or stroke with high-grade carotid artery stenosis. Out of the six patients, three had aorto-iliac disease, one had high-grade coarctation of aorta, two had tortuous aortic arch and or tortuous carotid artery origin. All these patients were treated with CAS though non-femoral arterial route. Results CAS could be done successfully in all these six patients; four of them were done through trans-brachial arterial route and two were done through a direct carotid artery puncture. There were no new neurological deficits seen in any of the patient post-procedure. Conclusion CAS can be done safely through non-femoral arterial approach in patients with difficult anatomy.