Carotid endarterectomy with contralateral carotid artery occlusion: is this a higher risk subgroup?
OBJECTIVE
to evaluate early and mid-term term results of carotid endarterectomy (CEA) in patient with and without contralateral carotid occlusion.


METHODS
between 1996 and 1999, 1324 CEAs were performed. In 82 patients contralateral carotid artery occlusion was present (group I); 1242 patients had patent contralateral carotid (group II). All patients were operated under general anaesthesia, and selective shunting was based on somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs). Ultrasonographic follow-up was performed at 1, 6 and 12 months and then once a year. Early results and follow-up data were analysed retrospectively.


RESULTS
in group I there was a significantly higher incidence of SEPs reduction and shunt insertion; however, there were no differences in terms of perioperative complications. The cumulative stroke and death rate at 30 days in group 1 and group 2 were 2.4% vs 1.4% (p=n.s.), respectively. At a mean follow-up of 15 months there were no differences between the two groups in terms of cumulative symptom-free survival.


CONCLUSIONS
the presence of contralateral carotid occlusion caused an increased use of shunt, but not in early complications rates.
Pulli
R
R
Department of Vascular Surgery, University of Florence, Italy.
Dorigo
W
W
Barbanti
E
E
Azas
L
L
Russo
D
D
Matticari
S
S
Chiti
E
E
Pratesi
C
C
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015901:Angiography, Digital Subtraction; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D016894:Endarterectomy, Carotid / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D018616:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Duplex