THE EFFECT OF CAROTID ENDARTERECTOMY ON OCULAR BLOOD VELOCITY

Purpose: The authors studied the effect of carotid endarterectomy on b lood velocity in the ophthalmic artery and in the central retinal arte ry (CRA) and central retinal vein. Method: Pre- and postoperative ultr asonographic and preoperative angiographic determination of the intern al carotid artery occlusion rate and orbital color Doppler imaging mea surements were performed on 18 consecutive cases of carotid endarterec tomy (17 patients). Results: Most of the blood velocity values in the CRA improved and corresponded to the contralateral values postoperativ ely. The peak systolic (vp) and end diastolic velocity (edv) in the CR A and ophthalmic artery (OA) increased significantly postoperatively ( vpCRA: P = 0.027; edvCRA: P = 0.023; vpOA: P = 0.034; edv OA: P = 0.04 7). Systolic acceleration in the OA also increased (P = 0.018). Howeve r, the individual response was variable. In 81%, the ratio of vpCRA of the operation side and the contralateral side was higher postoperativ ely than preoperatively. The flow increased also in the OA. The flow w as reversed in the OA in two cases and in both the direction of flow c hanged postoperatively. There was no increase in the peak velocity in the central retinal vein. Conclusions: Carotid endarterectomy resulted in significantly increased flow in the CRA and OA, but no effect was observed on the central retinal vein.