title: Comparison of regional and general anesthesia for carotid endarterectomy.
abstract: Two hundred twenty-one patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy were studied for morbidity and mortality. Thirty-seven had general anesthesia and 138 had regional anesthesia. The two groups were similar in preoperative risk factors and were operated on by a single surgeon and similar operative teams. Patient selection was prospective in the sense that the first 37 procedures were performed with general anesthesia and the next 184, with regional anesthesia. No significant difference in incidences of death, myocardial infarction, stroke, or transient ischemic attack was found. Hospital lengths of stay were similar. The type of anesthetic used for carotid endarterectomy should be the choice of the surgeon and operative team.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Coe Medical Center, Cody, Wyoming 82414.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Palmer
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000765:Anesthesia, Conduction / Q000401:mortality; D000768:Anesthesia, General / Q000401:mortality; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D004691:Endarterectomy / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000209:etiology; D011183:Postoperative Complications