Table 1:

Major eligibility criteria

Inclusion criteria

  • Symptomatic carotid stenosis >70%

  • Asymptomatic stenosis >70%

  • Stenosis >50% and <70% with an evidence of:

    1. High-risk plaque morphology

    2. Microembolism

Exclusion criteria

  • Bleeding diathesis

  • Disabling stroke

  • Total occlusion lesions

  • Cerebral aneurysm

  • Degenerative cerebral diseases:

    1. Alzheimer

    2. Cerebral tumors

    3. Illness impeding informed consent

    4. Life expectancy <2 years