부산대학교 도서관

An 80-year-old gentleman with significant bilateral carotid artery stenosis and previous right carotid endarterectomy underwent a CT Angiogram of the Head and Neck due to multiple episodes of syncope. The study revealed heavily calcified atherosclerotic disease at the left carotid bulb and bifurcation, causing high-grade luminal stenosis of 80 to 82% at the origin of the internal carotid artery. Hence, a decision was made to obtain a cerebral angiogram. Aortic arch angiogram revealed a type III arch, following which a cerebral catheter wire was engaged in the left carotid artery. A selective angiogram showed 80% calcified stenosis at the level of bifurcation, with the left external carotid artery being 100% occluded. Given the heavily calcified lesion, supra core guidewire was crossed across the lesion, followed by advancement of protection device into the distal segment of the left internal carotid artery. Balloon angioplasty was performed twice from the ostial to the proximal segment of the left internal carotid artery. An attempt was made to place a stent without any success. Subsequently, a decision was made to proceed with shockwave lithoplasty. We inserted a transvenous pacemaker with a backup rate of 40 bpm. A Shockwave catheter was inserted and shockwaves were delivered with multiple inflation techniques at 4 atmospheric pressure for 15 seconds each. Periodic neuro assessments were normal. This was followed by the placement of stents in the distal left common carotid and ostial to proximal left internal carotid artery reducing the calcified 80% stenosed lesion to 10% with excellent angiographic results. Subsequently, the filter and the catheter were removed and the femoral artery access site was secured. The patient tolerated the procedure very well without any immediate or delayed complications. The intracerebral vasculature remained intact as confirmed by a cerebral angiogram. TVP was removed and the patient was discharged in a stable condition after 2 days. Hence, Shockwave lithotripsy can be successfully used for critical carotid artery stenosis in patients that pose a high surgical risk. It helps soften the lesion for better dilatation of the vessel and achieve improved luminal gain for appropriate stent expansion.