The role of carotid stenting for the treatment of carotid disease.

Carotid artery occlusion is one of the most frequent and treatable causes of ischemic strokes. Although carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is recognized as the gold standard for treating symptomatic, severe carotid stenosis, investigations have sought to demonstrate the efficacy of carotid angioplasty and stenting (CAS) as a potential alternative to surgical management. Patient selection is crucial in the judicious application of CAS and CEA. Recent investigations have emphasized the potential of endovascular procedures to complement rather than replace surgical techniques for treating a wide spectrum of carotid disease.