title: Duplex scanning on admission prevents unnecessary carotid endarterectomies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This retrospective single Institution study, aims to evaluate the performance of duplex scanning on admission of patients with carotid artery disease to avoid unnecessary carotid endarterectomies.
  
  
  METHODS
  From 1 January 1997 until 31 Decem-ber 2004, 1 504 patients were admitted to our Institution to undergo carotid endarterectomy. A duplex scan on admission was performed in all of them.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 1 369 from these patients (91%) underwent surgery, while 135 (9%) were dismissed because there was no indication for surgical treatment. They were put in conservative treatment and periodic duplex control appointments.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In 9% of the patients, unnecessary carotid endarterectomy was avoided.
authors.affiliation: Istituto Policlinico San Donato, 1st Unit of Vascular Surgery, School of Vascular Surgery University of Milan, Milan, Italy. hdlns@freemail.gr
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dalainas
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nano
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Casana
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bianchi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stegher
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Malacrida
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Tealdi
mesh_terms: D000792:Angiography; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D016894:Endarterectomy, Carotid; D006801:Humans; D018616:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Duplex