Permanent Bilateral Carotid Filters for Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillation

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: A novel permanent carotid filter device for percutaneous implantation was developed for the purpose of stroke prevention. In this review, we cover rationale, existing preclinical and clinical data, and potential future directions for research using such a device. RECENT FINDINGS: The Vine™ filter was assessed for safety in sheep and in 2 observational human studies, the completed CAPTURE 1 (n = 25) and the ongoing CAPTURE 2 (planned n = 100). CAPTURE 1 has shown high procedural and long-term implant safety. A control group was not available for comparison. SUMMARY: A mechanical filter for permanent stroke prevention can be implanted bilaterally in the common carotid artery safely and efficiently. A randomized trial is planned for 2021 (n = 3500, INTERCEPT) to demonstrate superiority of a filter + anticoagulation strategy over anticoagulation alone in patients at high risk for ischemic stroke.