Author:

Keywords:

Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Carotid Artery, Internal, Carotid Stenosis, Disease Progression, Endarterectomy, Carotid, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Recurrence, Reoperation, Retrospective Studies, Ultrasonography, Doppler, Duplex, Science & Technology, Life Sciences & Biomedicine, Peripheral Vascular Disease, Cardiovascular System & Cardiology, carotid artery, internal surgery, carotid artery, internal ultrasonography, follow-up studies, LATE STROKE, ENDARTERECTOMY, RESTENOSIS, STENOSIS, LONG, 1103 Clinical Sciences, Cardiovascular System & Hematology, 3201 Cardiovascular medicine and haematology, 3202 Clinical sciences

Abstract:

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this retrospective analysis was to evaluate the benefit of a yearly duplex ultrasonography of both the reconstructed and the contralateral internal carotid artery (ICA). METHODS: From 1985 to 1994, 1210 unilateral, primary ICA reconstructions were performed. Although these patients received yearly invitations, duplex follow-up was not available in 114 patients (9%). RESULTS: At 5 years a stenosis of 50% or more was found in 9% and at 10 years in 14% of patients. During the follow-up period 20 patients developed a stenosis of 80-99%. Ten patients had a redo-procedure. The others remained asymptomatic, even though one patient developed an occlusion. A stroke occurred in 96 patients. 58 of these had no significant stenoses. 57% of all patients had no significant contralateral lesion at the time of the first procedure. In only 4% of these a contralateral CAE was performed during the follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: In view of the above data, we would conclude that the clinical benefit of duplex surveillance is doubtful.