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Abstract Stroke is the third most common cause of death, the second most common cause of dementia, and the most common reason for acquired disability in adulthood in the USA(1). About 10–15% of ischaemic strokes are caused by focal atherosclerosis and consecutive narrowing (stenosis) of the internal carotid artery. Advances in endovascular therapies during the past decade have broadened the options for treating coronary and peripheral vascular diseases percutaneously(1). Treatment with revascularization has been shown to reduce the risk of recurrent stroke when symptomatic patients have stenosis(2). Initially, percutaneous transluminal balloon angioplasty was used. Later, stents were invented and have been used in the carotid artery and have been used either with or without initial balloon angioplasty. These treatments have the potential of being a useful alternative to carotid endarterectomy. A recent study showed that carotid stenting decreased mortality against angioplasty alone(3). |