Clean lumen club! This week, BackTable meets you at the carotid bifurcation to discuss all things carotid angioplasty and stenting. Interventional neuroradiologist and cerebrovascular surgeon Dr. Adnan Siddiqui, Vice Chairman of the University of Buffalo’s Department of Neurosurgery, joins host Dr. Sameh Sayfo to discuss the evolution and current state of carotid disease treatment. --- Get the BackTable app https://www.backtable.com/app --- This podcast is supported by Terumohttps://www.terumois.com/ --- Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction02:48 - From Aspirin to Endarterectomy03:47 - Rise of Carotid Stenting06:46 - CREST-2 and CMS Coverage09:57 - Management of Severe Asymptomatic Carotid Stenosis 15:35 - New Stent Designs Explained17:56 - Five Tips for New Operators20:08 - Case Selection Algorithm22:04 - Learning Curve and Mentorship28:27 - What’s Next: IVL and Outpatient31:24 - Managing Complications Safely35:05 - Closing and Credits --- More about this episode Dr. Siddiqui details the history of carotid stenosis treatment, charting its path and progression from medical therapy to endarterectomy and modern stenting approaches. He includes how recent trial data and updated CMS reimbursements have influenced practice and generated recent developments such as second generation stent technology. Dr. Siddiqui shares perspectives on patient selection, operator learning curve, complication preparedness, and the importance of structured training and proctoring as technology and techniques continue to improve. The physicians close by overviewing future directions for the carotid space such as IVL and how to approach management of procedural complications. --- Resources Dr. Adnan Siddiqui provider profilehttps://www.ubns.com/physicians/dr-adnan-h-siddiqui/ Carotid Endarterectomy for Asymptomatic Carotid Stenosis: Asymptomatic Carotid Surgery Trial (ACAS)https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/01.str.0000141706.50170.a7 Asymptomatic Carotid Surgery Trial (ACST-2)https://www.acc.org/latest-in-cardiology/clinical-trials/2021/08/25/23/24/acst2 Protected Carotid-Artery Stenting versus Endarterectomy in High-Risk Patients (SAPPHIRE trial)https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa040127 Medical Management and Revascularization for Asymptomatic Carotid Stenosis (CREST-2 trial) https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2508800 The North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial (NASCET trial)https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/01.str.30.9.1751