Prolonged hypotension following elective stenting of an internal carotid artery stenosis

We report a case of a 72-year-old man who had undergone elective stenting of an asymptomatic high grade stenosis of the proximal left internal carotid artery. The indication was progression of the stenosis over a 3 year period despite receiving maximal medical therapy, and patient preference for stenting over endarterectomy. He became profoundly hypotensive in the immediate post-stent period and required immediate and prolonged vasopressor support over the next week. The etiological hypothesis is baroreceptor hyperactivity related to procedure induced unilateral stretching of the carotid body.