The safety, efficacy, and durability of external carotid endarterectomy

Results of 21 external carotid endarterectomies (ECEAs) in 19 patients with symptoms were reviewed retrospectively. No patients died or had new strokes referable to ECEA within 30 days of surgery. Overall, six (32%) patients died during an average 41 months of follow-up (range 1 to 134 months). Persistent symptoms followed five (71%) of seven ECEAs performed for cerebrovascular insufficiency or transient ischemic attacks. One patient treated urgently for an evolving stroke failed to improve and died after hospital discharge. Another patient with crescendo transient ischemic attacks had a preoperative deficit that did not resolve for 6 months and had a second stroke 2 years later. Another patient had a stroke after a contralateral carotid reconstruction but recovered. In contrast, only two (14%) of 14 ECEAs performed for monocular amaurosis fugax had persistent symptoms after surgery. Durability of 16 ECEAs was evaluated by arteriography or duplex scanning. Of six ECEAs closed primarily, three (50%) occluded, one has 60% restenosis, and only two (33%) had no restenosis (mean follow-up 36 months). Of 10 ECEAs closed by patch angioplasty, none occluded, 2 had 20% restenosis, and eight (80%) had no restenosis (mean follow-up 47 months). Life-table analysis indicated improvement in ECEA patency and durability with patch angioplasty (p = 0.011). From these data, ECEA can be performed with relative safety but is more effective for treatment of monocular amaurosis fugax in patients with a microembolic source at the external carotid origin. Patients with any other indications for ECEA did not benefit consistently from this operation.