Carotid endarterectomy under regional analgesia:a retrospective study (1988-1999)

The procedure of carotid endarterectomy is more or less standardized. Controversies persist on many technical issues, one of which is general versus regional anaesthesia. We retrospectively evaluated the influence of regional analgesia on perioperative complications, the hospital stay and the perioperative mortality after carotid endarterectomy in 53 patients. All the patients in the study received deep cervical block regional anaesthesia (Winne's technique) for carotid endarterectomy. Indications for surgery included transient ischaemic haemodynamically significant stenosis. Shunt was used in 7 cases (13.2%). General anaesthesia was supplemented in 2 patients (3.8%). There was no perioperative mortality. Permanent non-fatal neurologic deficit occurred in 1 patient (1.9%) and temporary neurologic Deficit occurred in 1 patient (1.9%). The mean ICU stay was 1.85 (+/-0.82) days and the hospital stay was 5.2 (+/-1.14) days. On the basis of our data we believe that under regional anaesthesia carotid endarterectomy can be performed with acceptable complications and that regional anaesthetic technique is safe and well tolerated by the patients.