Cerebral microembolization after protected carotid artery stenting in surgical high-risk patients: Results of a 2-year prospective study

The incidence of new focal ischemic lesions detected by DWI is higher than expected on the basis of previous reports. Embolization from the aortic arch or common carotid arteries could account for most of those events in patients considered as surgical high-risk patients. Although 90% of the events were clinically silent, this high rate of microembolization raises questions about the possible consequences on cerebral cognitive functions.