[Carotid endarterectomy. Analysis of 193 consecutive cases]

In the last years, several randomized and multicenter trials have been performed to evaluate the benefit of carotid endarterectomy (CE) in the carotid stenosis. To determine whether CE could be performed safely at hospitals not included in international trials, the results of 193 consecutive CEs performed during a 10-year period at a medical center of our environment were reviewed. A 65.8% of CEs were performed on symptomatic patients, 68.5% of whom had stenosis superiores to 70%. Among asymptomatic patients, 89.4% had stenosis superiores to 70%. Three patients died. Besides there were five nonfatal neurologic complications (one reversible ischemic neurologic deficit, one minor stroke and three major strokes). The mortality rate was 1.5%, the rate of mayor neurologic morbidity and mortality was 3.1% and the rate of total neurologic morbidity and mortality was 4.1%. These data demonstrate that CE can be performed with safety at Divisions of Vascular Surgery of our environment.