Effects of completion angiography on the outcome of carotid endarterectomy

The carotid endarterectomy results of a single surgeon were analyzed over an 8-year period to determine how routine completion angiography affected endarterectomy outcome. Completion angiography was performed in 80% of cases. A total of 145 patients (86%) were symptomatic while 23 (14%) were symptom-free. Of 131 completion angiographies performed, 94 were interpreted as normal and 37 abnormal. The arteries were reopened in 23 patients with abnormal results. In the 14 patients with abnormal angiograms who were not reopened, two showed no flow into the internal carotid artery and the vessels were ligated. The remaining 12 patients had abnormalities in the external carotid artery or normal Doppler signals along the common carotid artery and internal carotid artery segments. Among the 37 patients with abnormal angiograms, arteries were re-explored in four; there were no neurologic complications. In the entire group, there were three mortalities, one stroke, one transient ischemic attack, two wound complications, four myocardial infarctions, two occurrences of cerebral edema, two pneumonias and nine transient local nerve injuries. Completion angiography has allowed an improved technique while also enhancing the ability to identify technical problems during surgery without increasing morbidity. These results support the use of intraoperative completion angiography to evaluate carotid endarterectomy sites.