Current status of carotid endarterectomy

Extracranial cerebrovascular disease (ECVD) is a major contributor to cerebrovascular accidents in the modern era. Cerebrovascular accidents (CVAs) are the third leading cause of death in the United States with 500,000 new or recurrent CVAs each year. Approximately 15,000 people die annually as a direct result of a stroke resulting in a cost of approximately $18 billion when hospital charges and loss of productivity figures are tabulated. The social and economic impact of this disease mandates a unified approach to its management.