[Cognitive functions after surgery and stenting for extracranial stenosis of the carotid artery].
BACKGROUND
This prospective, controlled, randomised study evaluates differences concerning cognitive functions between carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and stent-protected angioplasty (CAS) as a treatment for symptomatic carotid stenosis. Both techniques include risks whose effect on neuropsychological abilities remains yet unknown.


METHODS
Twenty-seven patients suffering from high-grade symptomatic carotid stenosis underwent neuropsychological testing before, 1 month, and 6 months after treatment. After the first testing patients were randomly assigned for CEA (n=10) or CAS (n=17) as treatment. The patients' cognitive functions were compared to those of 13 healthy controls.


RESULTS
Whether patients underwent CEA or CAS made no difference in the neuropsychological outcome 4 weeks and 6 months after treatment. Patients always performed worse than the healthy controls.


CONCLUSIONS
Both techniques seem to have no different effect on cognitive functions.
Jansen
C
C
Neurologische Klinik, Klinikum der Ruprecht-Karls-Universität, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120, Heidelberg. claudia.jansen@med.uni-heidelberg.de
Ringleb
P
P
Böckler
D
D
Hartmann
M
M
Hacke
W
W
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000800:Angioplasty, Balloon; D002343:Carotid Artery, Internal; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D016894:Endarterectomy, Carotid; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011594:Psychometrics; D015607:Stents