Purpose: To report an important complication related to carotid stenting.
Methods and results: A 71-year-old man with symptomatic subtotal occlusion of the left internal carotid artery had a 30-mm lesion treated percutaneously with implantation of 2 stents. Although the procedure was completed satisfactorily, left intraventricular hemorrhage occurred 4 hours later, possibly related to hyperperfusion injury. The patient expired 30 days after the stent procedure. Preoperative single-photon emission computed tomography revealed severely reduced vasoreactivity in the affected territory after acetazolamide challenge.
Conclusions: The risk of hyperperfusion injury must be considered and minimized in patients with significant restriction of regional vasoreactivity. We recommend that cerebral hemodynamic status be determined prior to carotid stenting.