[Cognitive functions after surgery and stenting for extracranial stenosis of the carotid artery]

This prospective, controlled, randomised study evaluates differences concerning cognitive functions between carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and stent-protected angioplasty (CAS) as a treatment for symptomatic carotid stenosis. Both techniques include risks whose effect on neuropsychological abilities remains yet unknown.

Twenty-seven patients suffering from high-grade symptomatic carotid stenosis underwent neuropsychological testing before, 1 month, and 6 months after treatment. After the first testing patients were randomly assigned for CEA (n=10) or CAS (n=17) as treatment. The patients' cognitive functions were compared to those of 13 healthy controls.

Whether patients underwent CEA or CAS made no difference in the neuropsychological outcome 4 weeks and 6 months after treatment. Patients always performed worse than the healthy controls.

Both techniques seem to have no different effect on cognitive functions.