Reoperation for recurrent carotid stenosis: early results and late outcome in 199 patients

This study was undertaken to determine the safety and efficacy of reoperations for recurrent carotid stenosis (REDOCEA) at the Cleveland Clinic.

From 1989 to 1999, 206 consecutive REDOCEAs were performed in 199 patients (131 men, 68 women) with a mean age of 68 years (median, 69 years; range, 47-86 years). A total of 119 procedures (57%) were performed for severe asymptomatic stenosis, 55 (27%) for hemispheric transient ischemic attacks or amaurosis fugax, 26 (13%) for prior stroke, and 6 (3%) for vertebrobasilar symptoms. Eleven REDOCEAs (5%) were combined with myocardial revascularization, and another 19 (9%) represented multiple carotid reoperations (17 second reoperations and 2 third reoperations). Three REDOCEAs (1%) were closed primarily, and nine (4%) required interposition grafts, whereas the remaining 194 (95%) were repaired with either vein patch angioplasty (139 [68%]) or synthetic patches (55 [27%]). Three patients (2%) were lost to follow-up, but late information was available for 196 patients (203 operations) at a mean interval of 4.3 years (median, 3.9 years; maximum, 10.2 years).

Considering all 206 procedures, there were 7 early (< 30 days) postoperative neurologic events (3.4%), including 6 perioperative strokes (2.9%) and 1 occipital hemorrhage (0.5%) on the 12th postoperative day. Seventeen additional neurologic events occurred during the late follow-up period, consisting of eight strokes (3.9%) and nine transient ischemic attacks (4.4 %). With the Kaplan-Meier method, the estimated 5-year freedom from stroke was 92% (95% CI, 88%-96%). There were two early postoperative deaths (1%), both from cardiac complications after REDOCEAs combined with myocardial revascularization procedures. With the Kaplan-Meier method, the estimated 5-year survival was 81% (range, 75%-88%). A univariate Cox regression model yielded the presence of coronary artery disease as the only variable that was significantly associated with survival (P =.024). The presence of pulmonary disease (P =.036), diabetes (P =.01), and advancing age (P =.006) was found to be significantly associated with stroke after REDOCEA. Causes of 53 late deaths were cardiovascular problems in 25 patients (47%), unknown in 14 (26%), renal failure in 4 (8%), stroke in 3 (6%), and miscellaneous in 7 (13%).

We conclude that REDOCEA may be safely performed in selected patients with recurrent carotid stenosis and that most of these patients enjoy long-term freedom from stroke.