Short-term outcomes after selective shunt during carotid endarterectomy: a propensity score matching analysis

Carotid cross-clamping during carotid endarterectomy might lead to intraoperative neurologic deficits, increasing stroke/death risk. If deficits are detected, carotid shunting has been recommended to reduce the risk of stroke. However, shunting may sustain a specific chance of embolic events and subsequently incurring harm. Current evidence is still questionable regarding its clear benefit. The aim is to determine whether a policy of selective shunt impacts the complication rate following an endarterectomy.

From January 2013 to May 2021, all patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy under regional anesthesia with intraoperative neurologic alteration were retrieved. Patients submitted to selective shunt were compared to a non-shunt group. A 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM) was performed. Differences between the groups and clinical outcomes were calculated, resorting to univariate analysis.

Ninety-eight patients were selected, from which 23 were operated on using a shunt. After PSM, 22 non-shunt patients were compared to 22 matched shunted patients. Concerning demographics and comorbidities, both groups were comparable to pre and post-PSM, except for chronic heart failure, which was more prevalent in shunted patients (26.1%, P=0.036) in pre-PSM analysis. Regarding 30-day stroke and score Clavien-Dindo ≥2, no significant association was found (P=0.730, P=0.635 and P=0.942, P=0.472, correspondingly, for pre and post-PSM).

In this cohort, resorting to shunting did not demonstrate an advantage regarding 30-day stroke or a Clavien-Dindo ≥ 2 rates. Nevertheless, additional more extensive studies are mandatory to achieve precise results concerning the accurate utility of carotid shunting in this subset of patients under regional anesthesia.