Midterm Results After Simultaneous Carotid Artery Stenting and Cardiac Surgery

The presence of carotid artery disease is known risk factor for perioperative stroke in cardiac surgery. The optimal management of patients with concomitant heart and carotid artery disease is not known. Simultaneous or staged carotid endarterectomy has been proposed to prevent stroke. In an attempt to reduce perioperative morbidity and death, simultaneous carotid stenting and cardiac surgery were implemented (hybrid procedure). This study evaluated early and midterm results after the hybrid procedure. From November 2012 through November 2018, 54 patients (36 men; an average age, 65.8 ± 7.3 years) underwent the hybrid procedure. The primary end points were the occurrence of perioperative cerebral stroke, transient ischemic attack (TIA), acute myocardial infarction, bleeding, or death. The mean follow-up period was 30 months. The 30-day mortality was 0%. Periprocedural incidence of stroke and transient ischemic attack were 1.9% and 7.6%, respectively, and acute myocardial infarction occurred in 1 patient (1.9%). No patients required repeat thoracotomy for bleeding. Four patients (7.6%) died during follow-up. The cause of death was stroke in 2 patients (3.8%), heart failure in 1 (1.9%), and multiorgan failure in 1 (1.9%). In-stent restenosis of the carotid artery occurred in 1 patient (1.9%). In this small group of patients, the hybrid procedure proved to be a safe and efficient treatment for patients with concomitant carotid and cardiac diseases. The low rate of perioperative complications and good midterm results are encouraging.