title: Should we perform carotid endarterectomy synchronously with cardiac surgical procedures?
abstract: From Jan. 1, 1979 through July 31, 1987, 63 patients had carotid endarterectomy (CEA) concurrently with cardiac surgical procedures including coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in 61, CABG plus mitral value replacement in one, and aortic valve replacement in one. Among the 62 patients having CABG, unstable angina had been present in 36 (58%), left main coronary artery disease in 21 (34%), and both unstable angina and left main coronary artery disease in 13 (21%). Indications for carotid surgery included previous stroke, amaurosis fugax, or hemispheric transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) in 33 patients (52%); bilaterally significant carotid disease was noted in 48% of the patients. Major neurologic complications occurred in three patients (4.8%), including perioperative stroke in two (3.2%) (fatal in one) and a TIA in a third patient. Bilateral carotid lesions, a contralateral total carotid occlusion, previous cerebrovascular symptoms, and intraaortic balloon pump support did not increase neurologic risk. Seven patients died postoperatively (11%). The mortality rate was 2.8% in patients younger than 65 years vs 22% in patients 65 years or older, 19% in patients with left main coronary artery disease vs 7.3% in patients without, 13.3% in men vs 5.6% in women, 25% in patients with a history of congestive heart failure vs 7.8% in patients without failure, and 6.2% in patients with unilateral carotid disease, 17% in patients with bilateral carotid disease, and 23% in patients with bilateral disease including a contralateral carotid occlusion. A mortality predictive index (MPI) was developed to summarize individual risk for a fatal outcome.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD 21205.
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Perler
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Burdick
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Minken
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Williams
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000601:surgery*; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000601:surgery; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000401:mortality*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000601:surgery; D004691:Endarterectomy / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis / Q000401:mortality*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors