Outcome in patients with symptomatic occlusion of the internal carotid artery

to assess whether the risk of recurrent ischaemic stroke in patients with symptomatic internal carotid artery (ICA) occlusion has changed over the past decades, to determine risk factors for the occurrence of ischaemic stroke and to assess the risk of endarterectomy (CEA) of a severe contralateral ICA stenosis.

retrospective cohort study.

patients with symptomatic ICA occlusion were identified from duplex registry files between 1991 and 1995. Information was obtained on vascular risk factors, performance of CEA for a contralateral ICA stenosis and on recurrence of ischaemic stroke. The rate of complications occurring within 30 days after CEA of the contralateral ICA in patients with symptomatic ICA occlusion was compared with the risk of CEA in patients with asymptomatic ICA occlusion and severe contralateral ICA stenosis (symptomatic or asymptomatic).

ninety-seven patients were identified. Mean follow-up time was 26 months. The annual risk of (non-)fatal stroke was 5.3% for all strokes (95% CI 2. 9%-9.6%) and 3.8% for ipsilateral stroke (95% CI 1.9%-7.7%). Hyperlipidaemia and severe stenosis of the contralateral ICA were independent risk factors. Twenty-two of 32 patients with a severe stenosis of the contralateral ICA underwent CEA, of which one patient died and three suffered a minor ischaemic stroke. The perioperative risk of CEA in the control group of 20 patients with asymptomatic contralateral ICA occlusion was 0% (0 of 20).

outcome in patients with symptomatic ICA occlusion has not substantially improved over the years. CEA for severe stenosis of the contralateral ICA carried a relatively high risk in our series, but deserves to be studied in a controlled design.