title: Cervical nerve injury after carotid endarterectomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to determine the extent and direct significance of cervical nerve injury after carotid endarterectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  fifty-two patients (61 operations) were followed by means of patient history and neurological examination between 3 and 55 months following carotid endarterectomy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  sixteen operated sites showed normal sensitivity. Patients assessed 3-6 months after surgery showed on average a neurological loss of 3.4 points (scale from 0-4). Patients assessed after 7-12 months had on average a deficit of 2.1 points. After 13-24 months the score was at 1.4 and after the second postoperative year the score yielded only 0.4 points.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  loss of cervical nerve sensation is always present after carotid endarterectomy but tends to improve with time. However, the timing and extent of this improvement is unpredictable. Patients are usually not disturbed by these changes.
authors.affiliation: University Center for Vascular Surgery, Aarau/Basel.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mauch
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Landolt
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gürke
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stierli
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002572:Cervical Plexus / Q000293:injuries*; D016894:Endarterectomy, Carotid / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors