Endovascular treatment of multilevel brachiocephalic artery lesions in asymptomatic patients: a case series

Objective: To evaluate the outcomes of complete endovascular carotid revascularization in asymptomatic patients with tandem lesions of common carotid arteries (CCA) and internal carotid arteries (ICA) and to demonstrate the endovascular technique. Methods: Endovascular treatment of two-level brachiocephalic artery lesions was performed in 23 patients at the Almazov National Medical Research Centre from 2017 to 2022. The mean age of the patients was 71.3 years. The lesions were localized in the left CCA and ICA in 11 patients, in the right CCA and ICA in 7 patients, and in the brachiocephalic trunk and right ICA in 5 patients. All patients were asymptomatic on the affected side. Results: Completed with successful stent implantation, all the procedures were effective, with no complications at the access site (hematoma, dissection, bleeding) and no perioperative mortality or residual stenoses. Postoperative neurological disorders developed in two patients including ipsilateral neurological symptoms (NIHSS score 4, Rankin score 1) in one of them and moderate aphasia and dysarthria NIHSS score 2, Rankin score 1) in the other. Brain MSCT showed signs of ischemic stroke that did not require any additional surgical treatment in the second patient. Following the rehabilitation, the neurological symptoms regressed. The mean hospital stay was 4 days. Two years after the intervention two patients required reintervention, i.e. repeat angioplasty of the ICA stent, due to in-stent restenosis. Conclusion: The outcomes in a series of patients with tandem brachiocephalic artery lesions indicate the efficacy of complete endovascular intervention with good short-term results.