Medium-term restenosis after carotid endarterectomy by patch type: a single-centre retrospective study comparing...

Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) with patch angioplasty is associated with lower restenosis rates compared with primary closure alone. However, evidence regarding patch-material superiority in the mitigation against neointimal hyperplasia and restenosis is limited. This retrospective observational study investigated medium-term restenosis rates between commercially available biological and synthetic carotid patches.

All primary CEA with patch angioplasty performed between 2007 and 2019 at a single university hospital were identified from theatre records. Restenosis was defined using the European Society for Vascular Surgery duplex criteria, either moderate (50-69%, PSV >213cm/s) or critical (70-99%, PSV >274cm/s). Chi-square tests and Kaplan-Meier curves were used to compare restenosis rates between biological (bovine pericardium) and synthetic patches (Dacron, PFTE and polyester-urethane).

Overall, 127 CEAs were included in the restenosis analysis. Bovine pericardium was the patch material used most frequently (60%, n=75). Median follow-up with duplex was 40.0 months (range 0-144). Moderate restenosis was detected in 14 CEAs (11%) and critical restenosis in 10 (7.8%). Compared with synthetic material, bovine was significantly associated with >50% restenosis but not >70% (p=0.042 and p=0.197, respectively). However, Kaplan-Meier curves demonstrated similar rates of >50% and >70% restenosis between patch types at five years (p=0.081 and p=0.080, respectively). There was no significant difference in peri-operative complication rates between patch types.

These results indicate medium-term restenosis rates after CEA are similar between biological and synthetic patches. However, well-designed randomised control trials are required to definitively answer the question of which patch material is superior for carotid reconstruction.