Carotid endarterectomy far severe asymptomatic carotid stenosis: A perioperative experience at a community hospital

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and feasibility of car otid endarterectomy (CEA) for severe asymptomatic carotid stenosis in a com munity setting with direct surgical resident participation. The medical rec ords of ail patients who had undergone CEA for severe asymptomatic carotid stenosis between 1989 and 1997 were retrospectively reviewed to ascertain p erioperative morbidity and mortality. One hundred forty-seven CEAs were per formed on 131 patients over the 8-year interval, Perioperative stroke and d eath rate was 0 per cent, However, one patient had a postoperative transien t ischemic attack, and one patient: had vocal cord dysfunction due to vague nerve injury (1.3%), Three other patients had perioperative complications not directly related to CEA (2.1%). Therefore the total perioperative compl ication rate of (3.4%) compares favorably with results reported by several large tertiary referral centers, CEA for severe asymptomatic carotid stenos is can be safely performed in a community hospital setting with direct surg ical resident participation.