title: Carotid endarterectomy prior to major abdominal aortic surgery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Major aortic surgery carries a high risk of stroke. Carotid artery occlusive disease (CAOD) has been identified as one of the contributing risk factors. Regarding the long-term prevention of stroke, carotid endartectomy (CEA) seems to be superior to the best medical treatment in patients with high-grade CAOD. However, the role of CEA prior to major aortic surgery has not been studied.
  
  
  METHODS
  
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective study, observational design.
  
  
  METHODS
  201 patients referred to a community hospital for major aortic surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  The patients were non-invasively screened by continuous-wave and duplex Doppler ultrasonography for the presence of CAOD. In 41 patients with angiographically confirmed high-grade CAOD, CEA was performed prior to major aortic surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Combined mortality and major morbidity from CEA and abdominal aortic surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no mortality or morbidity related to CEA. Total perioperative mortality related to major aortic reconstruction was 3.5%. No new perioperative focal neurologic deficits occurred except for one fatal stroke in a patient in whom CEA had been judged not to be indicated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CEA can be performed safely prior to major aortic surgery resulting in excellent overall neurologic outcome in patients with high-grade CAOD. We propose that patients scheduled for major aortic surgery be screened for the presence of high-grade CAOD and that CEA be performed first, if indicated according to published guidelines.
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery, Krankenhaus Porz am Rhein, Teaching Hospital, University of Cologne, Germany. bechtel@medinf.mu-luebeck.de
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Bechtel
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bartels
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hopstein
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Horsch
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015901:Angiography, Digital Subtraction; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000601:surgery*; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D016894:Endarterectomy, Carotid; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019370:Observation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D017585:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures