title: Carotid endarterectomy with bovine pericardium patch angioplasty: mid-term results.
abstract: The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy of bovine pericardium (BP) as a patch material in carotid endarterectomy (CEA) in terms of peri- and postoperative complications and the incidence of recurrent stenosis. During a 4-year period, 148 CEAs were performed in 138 consecutive patients. The study group included elective, emergency, and combined with cardiac operation CEAs in both symptomatic and asymptomatic carotid artery disease patients. Patch angioplasty using the BP followed the standard CEA in all patients. Postoperative follow-up included clinical examination and periodical color duplex scans at 3, 6, and 12 months and yearly thereafter. Surgical outcome was evaluated by the operation-related parameters, early and late mortality and morbidity rates, and the incidence of recurrent stenosis. All CEAs were performed without any unfavorable event. In the early postoperative period, there were no deaths and the morbidity consisted of transient cranial nerve paresis (4.7%) in seven patients and two ipsilateral strokes (1.4%). During the follow-up period, three patients (2%) developed significant carotid restenosis, though they remain asymptomatic, while there were no deaths related to the CEA. Patch angioplasty of the carotid artery using BP showed unwittingly early and mid-term surgical outcome. Our results demonstrate the BP to be a suitable patch material for routine use in carotid surgery.
authors.affiliation: Vascular Surgery Unit, Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece. mimats@cc.uoi.gr
authors.forename: Miltiadis I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Matsagas
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bali
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Arnaoutoglou
authors.forename: John C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Papakostas
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nassis
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Papadopoulos
authors.forename: Angelos M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Kappas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017130:Angioplasty / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D001705:Bioprosthesis; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D002417:Cattle; D003389:Cranial Nerve Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D016894:Endarterectomy, Carotid / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010291:Paresis / Q000209:etiology; D010496:Pericardium / Q000637:transplantation*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D020521:Stroke / Q000209:etiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous; D016896:Treatment Outcome