Durability of Carotid Endarterectomy

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Abstract
Background and Purpose—We sought to determine the incidence of recurrent stenosis after carotid endarterectomy.Methods—One thousand consecutive carotid endarterectomy patients were followed prospectively. The surgery was performed in a standard fashion. Cerebral protection was provided with intraoperative electroencephalographic monitoring and selective shunting. All arteriotomies were repaired with a patch graft. Each patient was seen 3 months after surgery and then yearly, with a duplex ultrasound obtained at each visit. Evidence for new ischemic events or recurrent stenosis of ≥70% was recorded.Results—The 30-day combined minor and major stroke and death rate was 1.9%. At 7.1-year follow-up, 0.1% of patients had recurrent stenosis ≥70%, the majority of which were asymptomatic.Conclusions—Carotid endarterectomy is a low-risk procedure for the treatment of carotid occlusive disease, with excellent long-term durability. Although less invasive, carotid angioplasty must demonstrate equal robustness in long-term follow-up before it is considered a routine alternative to surgery.