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The Problem with Asymptomatic Carotid Stenosis

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Ultrasound and Carotid Bifurcation Atherosclerosis

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Abstract

In 1978, Jessie Thompson published a retrospective review of outcomes in 270 patients with an asymptomatic carotid stenosis.1 Within a non-randomized cohort of 132 undergoing prophylactic carotid endarterectomy (CEA), 132 (91%) remained asymptomatic over a mean follow-up period of 50 months, 6 (5%) suffered a transient ischaemic attack (TIA), while 5 (4%) suffered a stroke. By contrast, only 77/138 patients (56%) who did not undergo CEA remained asymptomatic, 37 (27%) developed a TIA, while 24 (17%) suffered a stroke. To him, and many other surgeons, these data strongly supported a policy of prophylactic CEA in patients with asymptomatic carotid disease.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Vascular Surgery Group, Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, Leicester Royal Infirmary, Leicester, Leicestershire, UK

    A. Ross Naylor

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  1. A. Ross Naylor
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Imperial College, London, W2 1PG, United Kingdom

    Andrew Nicolaides

  2. , Dept. Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, 98195-6410, Washington, USA

    Kirk W. Beach

  3. Dept. Computer Science, University of Cyprus, Kallipoleos Street 75, Nicosia, 1678, Cyprus

    Efthivoulos Kyriacou

  4. Dept. Computer Science, University of Cyprus, Kallipoleos Street 75, Nicosia, 1678, Cyprus

    Constantinos S. Pattichis

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Naylor, A.R. (2011). The Problem with Asymptomatic Carotid Stenosis. In: Nicolaides, A., Beach, K., Kyriacou, E., Pattichis, C. (eds) Ultrasound and Carotid Bifurcation Atherosclerosis. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84882-688-5_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84882-688-5_4

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