Faculty Bibliography

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: In the 1980s, carotid endarterectomy was controversial because proof of efficacy was lacking, complication rates were high, and one third of cases were reported to be inappropriate. Since publication of several randomized controlled trials (RCTs), rates of carotid endarterectomy have doubled nationwide. This study assesses the appropriateness and use of carotid endarterectomy since publication of the RCTs. METHODS: Using the literature, we developed a list of 1557 mutually exclusive indications for carotid endarterectomy and asked a panel of national experts to rate the appropriateness of each indication using the RAND methodology. We used these ratings to assess appropriateness in a sample of 2124 patients who underwent the procedure in 1997 to 1998 in 6 hospitals. We also analyzed the reasons for the procedure and rates of death, stroke, and myocardial infarction within 30 days of surgery. RESULTS: Overall, 84.9% of operations were done for appropriate reasons, 4.5% for uncertain reasons, and 10.6% for inappropriate reasons. Among procedures considered inappropriate, the most common reasons were high comorbidity (46.6%) and minimal stenosis (27.1%). Overall, 72.5% were asymptomatic, 17.4% had a carotid transient ischemic attack, and 10.1% had a stroke. The 30-day rate of death or stroke was 5.47% for symptomatic patients and 2.26% for asymptomatic patients. Among patients having combined carotid and coronary artery bypass graft surgery, the rate was 10.32%. The complication rate in asymptomatic patients with high comorbidity was 5.56%. CONCLUSIONS: Since the RCTs, rates of overuse appear to have fallen considerably, although they are still significant. A major shift has occurred toward operating on asymptomatic patients. Although overall complication rates were low, rates among asymptomatic patients with high comorbidity exceeded recommended thresholds

Proponents of carotid angioplasty and stenting (CAS) believe that this technique would be preferred over carotid endarterectomy (CEA) for the high-risk patient. Presumably this would include patients over 80 years of age. However, a recent large series of patients undergoing CAS revealed a 16% incidence of nonfatal strokes and deaths for patients over the age of 80; these results were significantly worse than those for younger patients undergoing CAS. The objective of this study was to reassess results of CEA in patients over 80, and to compare surgical results with the published results of CAS in this patient group. A review was conducted of a prospectively maintained database of all carotid surgery performed at our institution. Primary CEA that took place from 1997 through 1999 were included for analysis (n = 698). Our institutional results were compared with representative results from a recently published large series of CAS. Our analysis showed that CEA can be performed safely in the octogenarian, and results are equivalent to those of younger patients. CEA appears to have significantly better results in the octogenarian than CAS. The reasons for the poor outcomes of CAS in the octogenarian are unclear. The results of CAS in the older patient population are worrisome, and this 'less invasive' technique may prove to be an inferior alternative in this patient group

OBJECTIVE: Total occlusion of the contralateral internal carotid artery has often been considered to be a predictor of poor outcome after carotid endarterectomy (CEA) of ipsilateral carotid stenosis. Data from both the North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial and the Asymptomatic Carotid Atherosclerosis Study have suggested this to be true. However, each of these trials had relatively few patients with contralateral occlusion in the surgical arms of the studies. Recently, advocates of carotid angioplasty and stenting have suggested that this technique may be preferable in patients with a contralateral occlusion because of the perceived poor outcome with surgery. The purpose of this study was to review a large series of CEAs performed in patients with contralateral occlusion to see whether results differed from patients with patent contralateral arteries and to determine whether the presence of preoperative symptoms was an important factor in outcome in these cases. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A review was conducted of a prospectively compiled database of all primary CEAs performed at our institution from 1985 to 1999. Surgery was performed on 2420 patients, of whom 338 (14.0%) had contralateral total occlusion. RESULTS: Patients with contralateral total occlusion were more likely to be symptomatic (65.7% versus 60.1%; P =.1), male (70.9% versus 58%; P <.001), and hypertensive (63.9% versus 58.4%; P =.07) with a positive smoking history (42.6% versus 31.4%; P <.001) than patients with patent contralateral carotid artery. No significant difference was seen in the rates of perioperative neurologic events between patients with contralateral occlusion (3.0%) and those without (2.1%; P =.34). Among the total of 913 asymptomatic patients, of whom 115 had contralateral occlusion, no difference was seen in the rate of perioperative neurologic events (1.8% for contralateral occlusion cases; 1.9% for cases without contralateral occlusion). Among the total of 1507 symptomatic patients, of whom 223 had contralateral occlusion, no significant difference was seen in the rate of perioperative neurologic events (3.7% for contralateral occlusion cases; 2.2% for cases without contralateral occlusion; P =.2). CONCLUSION: The presence of contralateral occlusion does not appear to increase the perioperative risk of CEA. Although the risk of CEA in symptomatic patients with contralateral occlusion may be slightly increased, this must be weighed against the risk with medical treatment alone. CEA can be performed safely in patients with contralateral occlusion, which should not necessarily be considered a high-risk condition for surgery in favor of angioplasty and stenting

Since the Food and Drug Administrations' approval of endovascular devices for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair, clinicians have been relaxing the strict inclusion criteria present during the clinical trials. Although the long-term natural history of endoleaks remains unclear, attachment site leaks (type I) are believed to represent an ongoing risk for future rupture. We reviewed our experience with endovascular AAA repair to elucidate factors that predispose toward the development of endoleaks and found that larger AAAs are significantly more likely to have a short proximal neck and severe proximal angulation. These factors likely contribute to the significantly increased rate of type I endoleaks that occurred after endovascular repair of large AAAs. Small AAAs (<5) had the lowest rate of endoleaks overall (8.3%) and of type I endoleaks in particular (0%). We conclude that AAA size and morphology can be used to predict which aneurysms will experience attachment site endoleaks in their course; AAAs from 4.5 to 5 cm in diameter may be particularly well suited for endovascular repair in this regard

BACKGROUND: Since the FDA approval of endovascular devices for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair, clinicians have been relaxing the strict inclusion criteria of the clinical trials. We have reviewed our experience during and after the clinical trials to examine changes in patient selection, technical aspects of the procedure, and outcome. METHODS: A review of a prospectively compiled database of all endovascular AAA repairs performed at our institution was performed. RESULTS: Endovascular AAA repair was attempted in 130 patients: 46 (35.4%) as a part of clinical trials (Group I), and 84 (64.6%) since the FDA approval of the devices (Group II). Significant differences in patient selection included: a higher proportion of short (<15 mm) proximal necks in Group II (28.6 vs 0.0%, p<0.001), and a higher proportion of iliac occlusive disease in Group II (48.8 vs 15.4%, p=0.001). Additional trends suggested that Group II AAA's were more complex, including increased proximal neck angulation, increased proximal calcification, increased presence of proximal thrombus, and increased iliac tortuosity. Significant differences in technical aspects of the procedure included increased usage of iliac angioplasty (46.4 vs 13.3%, p<0.001), iliac stenting (31 vs 8.9%, p<0.01), and conduit access to the external iliac artery (10.7 vs 0%, p=0.03) in Group II. Analysis of outcome revealed a decreased incidence of the following in Group II cases: conversions to open repair (2.4 vs 10.9%), lower extremity ischemia (3.6 vs 13.0%), and graft limb occlusion (2.4 vs 8.7%). Other major perioperative complications did not differ significantly between the 2 groups. However, although the overall rate of any endoleak noted in the postoperative course was decreased in Group II cases (26.2 vs 32.6%), the incidence of proximal or distal attachment site leaks has increased (11.9 vs 4.3%, p=0.14). Although this comparison did not reach statistical significance, the magnitude of the increase is concerning. CONCLUSIONS: Although we have been able to offer endovascular AAA repair to a larger number of patients since FDA approval, endovascular management of increasingly complex proximal necks and increased iliac artery disease appears to have increased the incidence of attachment site endoleaks. Although many of these leaks have been successfully managed with adjunctive endovascular procedures, their increasing incidence is worrisome and suggests that we may need to re-evaluate current inclusion criteria for using this technology. Although difficult access issues have been handled with adjunctive procedures, the presence of a short, angulated proximal neck may be difficult to overcome, and may not be well suited for endovascular repair with the currently available devices

The natural history and clinical significance of type II or branch vessel endoleaks following endovascular aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair remain unclear. Some investigators have suggested that these endoleaks have a benign course and outcome and that they can be safely observed. The purpose of this study was to document the natural history and outcome of all type II endoleaks that have occurred following endovascular AAA repair at our institution. A review of a prospectively compiled database of all endovascular AAA repairs performed at our institution was performed. From this review, we determined that type II endoleaks appear to have a relatively benign course, with a reasonable chance of spontaneously sealing within a 2-year period. No cases of rupture or aneurysm enlargement were documented in patients with open type II leaks. However, almost one-third of the patients did not manifest a type II leak until after their initial CT scan. The implications of such a 'delayed' leak are unclear. Careful follow-up remains mandatory in patients with type II endoleaks to better define outcome

Prior studies have suggested that young patients may be more prone to recurrent disease after carotid endarterectomy (CEA). The goal of this study was to review a series of CEAs performed on younger patients (< or = 55 years) and to determine if these patients are more likely to develop recurrent stenosis. A review was conducted of CEAs performed from 1985 through 1994. Analysis was performed on a study group of 94 young patients who underwent 109 CEAs during this time. A control group of 222 patients older than 55 years who underwent 256 CEAs during the years 1991 through 1993 was selected for comparison. During a mean of nearly 4 years of follow-up, younger patients were significantly more likely to experience a late failure of CEA, including total occlusion of the operated artery, or recurrent stenosis requiring redo surgery. Careful patient evaluation is important in choosing younger patients who require CEA. Implications of these data include mandating careful noninvasive follow-up examinations for younger patients undergoing CEA

In selected patients with descending aortic dissection, percutaneous intimal flap fenestration is a less-invasive alternative to surgery. We describe a patient with decreased renal and mesenteric blood flow as a result of descending aortic dissection. Percutaneous balloon intimal fenestration was performed under guidance of transesophageal echocardiography. Transesophageal echocardiography provided crucial information about the intimal flap puncture site and true- and false-lumen blood flow. After the flap fenestration, false-lumen blood flow increased, and the patient improved clinically

To determine whether choice of material used for patch closure following carotid artery endarterectomy (CAE) influences rates of early or late restenosis, stroke, and death, 274 consecutive CAEs were retrospectively reviewed. Saphenous vein (SV) was used in 159 (58.0%) procedures; everted, double-thickness jugular vein (JV) was used in 25 (9.1%); and knitted Dacron (KD) was used in 90 (32.9%). Primary closure was not used in this series. There were four perioperative strokes: two (1.3%) in SV, one (4%) in JV, and one (1.1%) in KD (NS). Follow-up was obtained on 263 (96%) operated arteries (mean 41.5 months). Duplex scan results were available for 236 (89.7%) of these arteries (mean follow-up time 33.7 months). There were three (2%) late strokes in SV and two (2.2%) in KD (NS). In long-term follow-up, one patient (0.7%) in SV and two (2.4%) in KD developed > 80% stenosis (NS). One patient (0.7%) in SV, one (5.3%) in JV, and one (1.2%) in KD had total occlusion of the operated vessel (NS). Three procedures (2.2%) in SV, 1 (5.3%) in JV, and 7 (8.5%) in KD demonstrated moderate stenosis (50-79%) (NS). Three-year follow-up shows that choice of patch material does not affect early or late stroke rate, stroke-related death rate, rate of high-grade (> 80%) restenosis, or rate of total occlusion. There is a higher incidence of moderate stenosis in KD. Although our results and a review of the literature do not indicate that these patients are at increased risk for symptoms or progression of stenosis, they should be followed by duplex scanning to ensure that this is the case