Carotid Implants for PreveNtion of STrokE ReCurrEnce From Large Vessel Occlusion in Atrial Fibrillation Patients Treated With Oral Anticoagulation
Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) who have had a prior stroke are at very high risk of recurrent ischemic stroke. About 40% of these strokes are due to large emboli which result in large cerebral vessel occlusion (LVO). This randomized control trial aims to address this unmet need by testing whether use of bilateral carotid filter implants in addition to OAC will reduce the risk of stroke in AF patients with recent (e.g. within 12 months) ischemic stroke vs. only OAC.
• Documented history of clinical AF
• History of ischemic (i.e. non-hemorrhagic) stroke including symptoms of stroke resolving within 24 hours with positive neuro-imaging, meeting one of the following criteria:
• Group 1: Patient was on OAC at time of index stroke, with index stroke occurring \< 6 week from enrollment Group 2: Patient was not on OAC at time of stroke, with index stroke occurring \< 6 weeks from enrollment Group 3: Patient was on OAC at time of index stroke, with index stroke occurring 6 to 52 weeks from enrollment
• Planned use of a Vitamin K antagonist (VKA) or a direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) for the duration of the trial
• Patient able to tolerate single antiplatelet therapy in addition to oral anticoagulation for 6 months, in the opinion of the investigator
• Bilateral ultrasound or angiogram demonstrating all of the following:
‣ Inner common carotid artery diameter range: ≥5.3 mm and ≤8.8 mm
⁃ Accessibility: up to 40 mm from skin to common carotid artery center
⁃ Implantation segment free of any atherosclerotic disease
⁃ Absence of carotid dissection or pre-existing stent(s) in common carotid artery
⁃ Absence of ≥50% stenosis of the internal carotid arteries as seen on ultrasound or angiography (CTA, MRA or DSA)
• i. For ultrasound, calculate the percentage of carotid stenosis using the Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound Consensus Criteria for Carotid Stenosis, where ≥50% stenosis is defined by internal carotid artery peak systolic velocity of ≥125 cm/sec, internal/common carotid peak systolic velocity ratio of 2 or more and end diastolic velocity of ≥40 cm/sec, or evidence of near occlusion.
• ii. For angiography, calculate the percentage of carotid stenosis using the North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial (NASCET) criteria (\[D - N\]/D x 100, where N is the luminal diameter at the site of maximal narrowing and D is the diameter of normal distal internal carotid artery beyond the bulb where the artery walls are parallel.
• Provision of informed consent