title: Fibromuscular disease of carotid arteries: long term results of graduated internal dilatation.
abstract: From 1967 to 1979, 25 patients (pts) were operated on for fibromuscular disease (FMD) of the internal carotid artery (ICA). Eleven patients (44%) had transient weakness of an extremity, 4 had amaurosis fugax and 6 (24%) had an asymptomatic carotid bruit. Bilateral carotid arteriography showed significant stenotic lesions in 23 pts (92%) (bilateral in 10), arterial dissection in 1, and severe associated atherosclerosis with ICA endarterectomy and graduated internal dilatation (GID) (9 bilateral); 2 underwent GID with ICA endarterectomy and patch graft: 1 pt had tube graft replacement of the ICA. There was no operative mortality. One pt had a stroke during operation after tube graft replacement of the ICA. Of the 19 pts followed for 2 to 12 years (mean 7.3 years), 2 had late recurrence of mild symptoms. One pt required GID of the contralateral ICA recurrence of symptoms 4 years postoperatively. Graduated internal dilatation of fibromuscular disease of the internal carotid artery can produce long term relief of symptoms; recurrence is rare.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D002343:Carotid Artery, Internal; D004106:Dilatation; D005260:Female; D005352:Fibromuscular Dysplasia / Q000601:surgery*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged