Management of Mobile Floating Carotid Plaque Using Carotid Artery Stenting

Abstract

Purpose: To present management techniques for dealing with mobile floating carotid plaque (MFCP), which represents an indeterminate risk of embolic cerebrovascular events. Case Reports: Two high-risk patients with a history of carotid endarterectomy were diagnosed with MFCP by duplex ultrasound scanning. One patient had a left hemispheric transient ischemic attack while the other was asymptomatic with a moderate stenosis. Both were successfully treated with carotid artery stenting, achieving complete coverage of the MFCP. Their outcomes were uneventful, and sustained patency of the stented arteries has been observed during an event-free survival of 32 and 44 months, respectively. Conclusions: Based upon the unique nature of these lesions and our satisfactory clinical results, we believe that carotid stenting may be a viable option for the treatment of MFCP.