Predictors for Successful Endovascular Intervention in Chronic Carotid Artery Total Occlusion

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to determine predictors for successful endovascular treatment in patients with chronic carotid artery occlusion (CAO).

BACKGROUND: Endovascular recanalization in patients with chronic CAO has been reported to be feasible, but technically challenging.

METHODS: Endovascular attempts in 138 consecutive chronic CAO patients with impaired ipsilateral hemisphere perfusion were reviewed. We analyzed potential variables including epidemiology, symptomatology, angiographic morphology, and interventional techniques in relation to the technical success.

RESULTS: The technical success rate was 61.6%. Multivariate analysis showed absence of prior neurologic event (odds ratio [OR]: 0.27; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.10 to 0.76), nontapered stump (OR: 0.18; 95% CI: 0.05 to 0.67), distal internal carotid artery (ICA) reconstitution via contralateral injection (OR: 0.19; 95% CI: 0.05 to 0.75), and distal ICA reconstitution at communicating or ophthalmic segments (OR:0.12; 95% CI: 0.04 to 0.36) to be independent factors associated with lower technical success. Point scores were assigned proportional to model coefficients, and technical success rates were >80% and <40% in patients with scores of ≤1 and ≥4, respectively. The c-indexes for this score system in predicting technical success was 0.820 (95% CI: 0.748 to 0.892; p < 0.001) with a sensitivity of 84.7% and a specificity of 67.9%.

CONCLUSIONS: Absence of prior neurologic event, nontapered stump, distal ICA reconstitution via contralateral injection, and distal ICA reconstitution at communicating or ophthalmic segments were identified as independent negative predictors for technical success in endovascular recanalization for CAO.