Duplex scanning on admission prevents unnecessary carotid endarterectomies.
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.
Dalainas
I
I
Istituto Policlinico San Donato, 1st Unit of Vascular Surgery, School of Vascular Surgery University of Milan, Milan, Italy. hdlns@freemail.gr
Nano
G
G
Casana
R
R
Bianchi
P
P
Stegher
S
S
Malacrida
G
G
Tealdi
D G
DG
D000792:Angiography; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D016894:Endarterectomy, Carotid; D006801:Humans; D018616:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Duplex