[Carotid endarterectomy]

Carotid endarterectomy has been a controversial matter since its introduction more than 40 years ago. In the last decade several clinical trials were performed to determine the efficacy of this operation in patients with carotid estenosis and hemispheric or ocular ischemic symptoms. In 1991 the interim results of the North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial and the European Carotid Surgery Trial were reported, both trials demonstrating the beneficial effects of surgery in symptomatic patients with stenosis of greater than 70%. In 1994 the Asymptomatic Carotid Atherosclerosis Study reported their interim results in patients who have stenosis of greater than 60% in favor of endarterectomy, in centers with documented perioperative mortality and morbidity of less than 3%. The Asymptomatic Carotid Surgery Trial is still in progress. All this trials have restored the confidence on carotid endarterectomy.