title: Is it possible to reduce the number of cerebral complications in carotid endarterectomy?
abstract: An effort was made to reduce the number of cerebral complications in carotid endarterectomy by focusing attention on the perioperative prevention of embolism and thrombosis in a prospective series of carotid endarterectomies (group I, n = 62) performed during a 24 months' period 1982-1984 in Tampere University Hospital. Controls were two other series of carotid endarterectomies (group II, n = 60, and group III, n = 60) comprising all 120 carotid endarterectomies carried out by other trained vascular surgeons in the same hospital during the years 1976-1984. During the first 30 postoperative days there were no deaths, one stroke and one TIA in group I. On the other hand there were three deaths, seven strokes and five TIAs in group II and four deaths, two strokes and three TIAs in group III. The number of cerebral complications in carotid endarterectomy was significantly less in the study group than in the control groups, and thus it was possible to reduce the perioperative complications in carotid endarterectomy possibly by pre- and postoperative drug treatment and routine intraoperative heparinization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Riekkinen
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Salenius
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Harju
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D016894:Endarterectomy, Carotid / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006493:Heparin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D002542:Intracranial Embolism and Thrombosis / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D006493:Heparin