Carotid endarterectomy is safe for octogenarians

Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) has demonstrated superior results in stroke risk reduction for patients with symptomatic and asymptomatic high-grade carotid stenosis. However, this benefit has long been questioned for the elderly and high-risk populations. In the present study, we aimed to provide high-volume, single-institution data with long-term follow-up examining the risk factors for postoperative stroke and stroke-free survival stratified by age for asymptomatic and symptomatic patients undergoing CEA.

A single-institution retrospective review of 840 consecutive patients who had undergone CEA from 2011 to 2018 was performed, inclusive of both symptomatic and asymptomatic operative indications. The primary end point was perioperative stroke within 30 days of surgery. The secondary end points were late stroke, death, and myocardial infarction. Patients aged >80 years were compared with those aged <80 years to examine freedom from stroke and death. Statistically significant differences were defined as those with P < .05.

A total of 840 patients were evaluated with a median follow-up of 416 ± 1244 days. Of the 840 patients, 499 (59%) were men, and 604 (72%) were White. The mean age was 72 ± 9 years, with 202 (24%) aged ≥80 years. CEA was performed for symptomatic disease in 305 patients (36%), of whom 143 (47%) had had strokes and 162 (53%) had had transient ischemic attacks. The overall 30-day postoperative stroke rate was 1.0% (eight patients; 0.6% for asymptomatic and 1.6% for symptomatic; P = .147). Compared with younger patients, octogenarians had had a similar stroke rate after CEA (1.5% vs 0.8%; P = .407). Hispanic race was an independent risk factor for postoperative stroke. White race and preoperative statin use both appeared to be protective. Kaplan-Meier survival curves demonstrated decreased a 5-year stroke-free survival in patients aged ≥80 years (P = .031). However, overall, the estimated 5-year survival was similar to the U.S. general population across both age groups.

CEA for octogenarians is safe and effective for both symptomatic and asymptomatic populations with excellent 30-day outcomes and long-term survival mirroring that of the general population.