Safety of Carotid Stenting (CAS) is Based on Institutional Training More than Individual Experience in Large-volume Centres

Background: Operator training is a key factor for the safety of carotid stenting (CAS). Whether institutional practice is associated with improved individual operator outcomes is debated.Objective: To evaluate the effect of the institutional experience on outcomes of new trainees with CAS, a retrospective analysis of a prospectively held database was performed.Methods: The overall study period, 2004–2012, was divided into two sequential time frames: 2004–April 2006 (leaders-team phase) and May 2006–2012 (expanded team phase). In the first frame, a single leader-operators team that first approached CAS and passed the original institutional learning curve, performed all the procedures; in the following expanded-team phase, five new trainees joined. Institutional CAS training for new trainees was based on a team-working approach including selection of patients, devices and techniques and collegial meetings with critical review and discussion of all procedural steps and imaging.Results: A total of 431 CAS procedures were performed in the leaders-team phase and 1026 in the sequential expanded-team phase. Periprocedural complication rates in the two time frames were similar: stroke/death (3.0% vs. 2.1%; P = 0.35), stroke (2.8% vs. 2.1%; P = 0.45) major stroke (0.9% vs. 0.6%, P = 0.49), death (0.2% vs. 0%; P = 0.29) during the leaders-team and expanded-team phase, respectively. However, rates of CAS failure requiring surgical conversions (3.7% vs. 0.8%; P 
Source: European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery - Category: Surgery Authors: Tags: Carotid Disease Source Type: research