Current indications for carotid angioplasty and stenting.

Carotid angioplasty and stenting has been established as a minimally invasive alternative to endarterectomy for patients with significant extracranial carotid occlusive disease. Its indications, however, continue to evolve, as more controlled data from large clinical trials are being accumulated. The purpose of this article is to review the current evidence supporting the application of carotid angioplasty and stenting in certain subsets of patients and the relative contraindications for its use.