Carotid With Bivalirudin Angioplasty

Phase 2

Completed

Interventions: Device: RX ACCULINK™ Carotid Stent System; RX ACCUNET™ Embolic Protection System; PercuSurge GuardWire® 3-6 Temporary Occlusion and Aspiration System

Brief Summary: Single center randomized clinical trial, to evaluate the safety and efficacy of carotid artery stenting using the RX ACCULINK™ Carotid Stent System with RX ACCUNET™ Embolic Protection System or PercuSurge GuardWire® 3-6 Temporary Occlusion and Aspiration System using Angiomax (bivalirudin)versus heparin as the anticoagulant for treatment of occlusive carotid artery disease in low and high risk patient cohorts.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria

The patient must be at least 18 years of age.
The patient must have a significant diameter reduction of the extracranial or intracranial internal or common carotid artery, defined as ≥50% stenosis for symptomatic patients or ≥80% stenosis for asymptomatic patients determined by carotid duplex ultrasound scan and/or carotid angiography.
Female patients with child bearing potential must have a negative pregnancy test.
The patient and the patient's physician must agree to have the patient return for a 30-day and one-year clinical and ultrasound imaging follow-up evaluations as indicated in the protocol.
Reference vessel diameter ≥ 3.5 mm - ≤ 9.0 mm diameter.

Exclusion Criteria

The patient has had a recent (<4 weeks) disabling stroke or dementia with major neurologic deficit (stroke scales: Barthel <60, NIH >15, or Rankin >3) at pre-procedure neuro exam.
The patient has had within four weeks of the treatment procedure an intracranial hemorrhage, hemorrhage stroke, major stroke, or any stroke with mass effect demonstrated on MRI or CT.
The patient has a known allergy to heparin, bivalirudin, aspirin or to anti-platelet agents that prevents taking aspirin plus ticlopidine or aspirin plus clopidogrel.
The patient has received fractionated or unfractionated heparin within 8 hours prior to the procedure.
The patient has a history of prior life-threatening radiocontrast reaction that cannot be pre-treated.
The patient has a history of bleeding diathesis or coagulopathy within 3 months.
The patient is currently participating in another study protocol that may influence either procedure results or follow-up evaluations.
Plasma/serum creatinine > 3.0 mg/dl at time of intervention.
Hemodynamic instability at the time of intervention.
Previous stent placement in the ipsilateral carotid distribution.

Angiographic Exclusion Criteria

The patient has an intracranial tumor, or cerebral arterio-venous malformation(s) > 5mm, aneurysms or severe intracranial stenosis distal to target lesion.
The patient has inaccessible intracranial arterial stenosis greater in severity than the extracranial internal carotid artery lesion.
There is angiographic evidence of significant intra-luminal thrombus burden with presumed increased risk of plaque fragmentation and consequent distal embolization.
There is total occlusion of the ipsilateral carotid artery treatment site with TIMI 0 flow characteristics.
The reference segment diameter (internal carotid artery segment cephalad to the lesion) is less than 3 millimeters by operator visual estimate.
The patient has peripheral vascular, supra-aortic or internal carotid artery tortuosity precluding use of catheter-based techniques required for successful CSSA

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Heparin	RX ACCULINK™ Carotid Stent System; RX ACCUNET™ Embolic Protection System; PercuSurge GuardWire® 3-6 Temporary Occlusion and Aspiration System	-
Bivalirudin	RX ACCULINK™ Carotid Stent System; RX ACCUNET™ Embolic Protection System; PercuSurge GuardWire® 3-6 Temporary Occlusion and Aspiration System	-

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
To evaluate clinical success (<50% residual stenosis at all treatment sites without death, myocardial infarction, stroke or major bleed)	30 days

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
To assess stent patency , and occurence of death or recurrent neurological events	12 months
To assess for complications including death, myocardial infarction, major or minor stroke, major or minor bleeding, and vascular complications.	In hospital and 30 days