Stenosis following carotid endarterectomy. Its implication in management of asymptomatic carotid stenosis
M. P. Colgan, V. Kingston and G. Shanik
Carotid endarterectomy is established in the treatment of atherosclerosis
of the carotid bifurcation, but the incidence of restenosis and the role of
endarterectomy in the management of asymptomatic carotid stenosis are
variable. During a four-year period, we performed 80 endarterectomies of
the internal carotid artery in 73 patients. Patients were prospectively
studied by means of Doppler ultrasonography in combination with real-time
spectral analysis to determine the incidence of restenosis postoperatively.
A concomitant study of 116 patients with 79 asymptomatic carotid stenoses
was undertaken. We found a 12.5% incidence of stenosis following carotid
endarterectomy and a 3% risk of transient neurologic deficit in the
patients with asymptomatic carotid stenoses.
