[What are the prerequisites for surgery of asymptomatic carotid stenosis?]

Asymptomatic patients with carotid stenoses exceeding 75% have an elevated ischemic cerebrovascular event rate of 18% per year (5% strokes). Our combined perioperative stroke and death rate (1980-1990: 1123 operations) is 1.85%. Thus prophylactic surgery may be indicated in the following cases: hemodynamically significant stenoses of 75% and more, especially with marginal or reduced autoregulatory reserve, rapidly progressing lesions in medically treated patients, lesions with a high risk of embolization (ulcerations on B-scan), clear interrelation between arterial lesions and positive (asymptomatic) intracranial findings (CT, NMR, TC, USD).