Aim: Many guidelines recommend carotid endarterectomy (CEA) in symptomatic patients with carotid stenosis of greater than 70%, and carotid artery stenting (CAS) as an alternative to CEA. In our study, we evaluated the clinical characteristics of patients who underwent revascularizaton therapy.
Material and methods: We reviewed the files of 2369 patients with stroke followed in our cerebrovascular outpatient clinics since 1996.
Results: 92 patients were treated by revascularization therapy. A total of 41 patients had CEA, 42 patients had CAS, and 9 patients had vertebral artery stenting; and 77 patients were followed-up for a mean period of 50.2+42.7 months (6 to 168 months). Recurrent stroke or TIA and deaths due to cerebrovascular diseases were similar between CEA and CAS patients. Myocardial infarction (including silent MI) and deaths due to cardiovascular diseases were more common in CAS group, though not significant. The deaths due to other diseases and other non-fatal complications were significantly more common in CEA patients. On the other hand, restenoses - all of which were radiological findings but asymptomatic - were more common in the CAS group.
Conclusion: In this study we disclosed neither morbidity nor mortality discrepancies in long term among the patients who were treated with carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and carotid artery stenting (CAS).