INTERNAL CAROTID PSEUDO-OCCLUSION - EARLY AND LATE RESULTS

Internal carotid pseudo-occlusion (ICP) is a pathology of difficult di agnostic evaluation and treatment in the group of extracranial carotid diseases. The authors report the results of 24 ICPS surgically treate d in the last five years. No perioperative death was reported. The neu rological morbility rate was as low as 4% (1/24), which is quite a goo d results for this high-risk pathology. Clinical and instrumental foll ow-up was performed (at 1-3-6-12-24 months from surgery). Six early as ymptomatic thromboses (25%) were observed, and the remaining patients showed patent vessels and no symptoms at all. In conclusion surgical t reatment of ICP is often able to prevent cerebral ischaemia, and the h igh rate of early occlusion should not limit surgical indication.