title: [Revascularization of the carotid and vertebral arteries in the elderly].
abstract: From January 1994 to July 2004, 323 patients underwent 348 revascularization of carotid bifurcation for atherosclerotic stenoses. Eighty eight patients (group A) were 75 year-old or older, whereas 235 (group B) were younger than 75 years. Postoperative mortality/neurologic morbidity rate was 1% in group A, and 1.4% in group B. At 5 years, patency and freedom from symptoms/stroke were, respectively, 91% and 92% in group A, and 89% and 91% in group B. None of these differences was statistically significant. In the same time period, 26 internal carotid arteries were revascularized in 24 patients, 75 or more aged, for a symptomatic kinking. Postoperative mortality/morbidity rate was absent, whereas, at 5 years, patency and freedom from symptoms/stroke were, respectively, 88% and 92%. Twelve vertebral arteries were revascularized in 12 patients, 75 or more aged, for invalidating symptoms of vertebrobasilar insufficiency. Postoperative mortality/neurologic morbidity rate was absent. In one case postoperative recurrence of symptoms occurred, despite a patent revascularization. Patency and freedom from symptoms/stroke were 84% and 75%, at 5 years. Revascularization of carotid and vertebral arteries in the elderly can be accomplished with good results, superposable to those of standard revascularization of carotid bifurcation in a younger patients' population.
authors.affiliation: Università degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza, Dipartimento di Chirurgia Francesco Durante.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Illuminati
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bezzi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: D'Urso
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Giacobbi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ceccanei
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vietri
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000601:surgery*; D002548:Cerebral Revascularization; D016894:Endarterectomy, Carotid; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014711:Vertebral Artery / Q000601:surgery*