Outcomes of Urgent Carotid Endarterectomy for Crescendo Transient Ischemic Attacks and Stroke in Evolution.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) after an unstable neurological presentation is still a controversial issue. The aim of this study was to evaluate outcomes of urgent (≤48 hr) CEA in patients with crescendo transient ischemic attack (cTIA) or stroke in evolution (SIE).

METHODS:

A retrospective analysis was performed using prospectively collected data from all consecutive neurologically unstable patients who underwent urgent CEA during the period from January 2013 to November 2018. End points were 30-day any stroke and death rate, symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), myocardial infarction (MI), surgical site bleeding requiring intervention, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score variation, and functional outcome at 90 days assessed by the modified Rankin scale (mRS). Patients were evaluated according to clinical presentation (cTIA or SIE).

RESULTS:

A total of 46 neurologically unstable patients with cTIA (20 patients; 43.5%) and SIE (26 patients; 56.5%) were included. The 30-day risk of any stroke or death was 10.0% (2 of 20) in the cTIA group and 7.7% (2 of 26) in the SIE group. No symptomatic ICH or MI was detected after surgery in either study group. A total of 2 patients (4.3%; 1 cTIA, 1 SIE) underwent reoperation for surgical site bleeding. In patients with SIE, the mean NIHSS score on admission was 9.85 ± 5.12. Postoperatively, 22 (84.6%) of the 26 patients with SIE had clinical improvement of their neurological deficit, 3 (11.5%) patients had no change, and 1 (3.8%) patient died. On discharge, the mean NIHSS score was 4.31 ± 6.09 points and was significantly improved compared with NIHSS scores at admission (P < 0.001). At 3 months, 21 patients (80.8%) with SIE had a good clinical outcome (mRS ≤ 2).

CONCLUSIONS:

Urgent CEA in neurologically unstable patients can be performed with acceptable perioperative risks. Moreover, in well-selected patients with SIE, urgent CEA may be associated with significantly improved final functional outcomes.

• Authors: Igor Gunka, Dagmar Krajickova, Michal Lesko, Ondrej Renc, Jan Raupach, Stanislav Jiska, Miroslav Lojik, Vendelin Chovanec, Alexander Hudak, Radovan Maly
• Journal: Annals of vascular surgery (Ann Vasc Surg) Vol. 61 Pg. 185-192 (Nov 2019) ISSN: 1615-5947 [Electronic] Netherlands
• PMID: 31394223 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Topics

• Aged
• Carotid Stenosis (complications, diagnosis, mortality, surgery)
• Disability Evaluation
• Endarterectomy, Carotid (adverse effects, mortality)
• Female
• Humans
• Ischemic Attack, Transient (diagnosis, etiology, mortality)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Recovery of Function
• Registries
• Retrospective Studies
• Risk Assessment
• Risk Factors
• Stroke (diagnosis, etiology, mortality)
• Time Factors
• Treatment Outcome