Factors influencing restenosis after carotid artery stenting.

Many studies have published perioperative clinical results, but the incidence of restenosis and late stroke after carotid artery stenosis is poorly documented. Duplex ultrasonography is the most commonly used technique to follow in-stent restenosis after carotid aretery stenting (CAS), but, the ultrasound criteria for determining a restenosis after stent implantation are very heterogeneous. This review of the literature showed that the long-term in-stent restenosis rate after CAS appears to be acceptable and that restenosis is mainly asymptomatic. Suggested predictors of in-stent restenosis after CAS are advanced age, female gender, implantation of multiple stents, prior revascularization treatment, suboptimal result with residual stenosis, elevated postprocedural serum levels of acute-phase reactants, asymptomatic lesion, use of balloon expandable stents.