Carotid Endarterectomy in Octogenarians with Symptomatic High-Grade Internal Carotid Artery Stenosis: Long-Term Clinical and Duplex Follow-up

The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical and duplex outcome after carotid endarterectomy (CEA) in recently symptomatic patients aged 80 years or older. Information was assembled from a prospective data collection of all CEAs performed from January 1986 to December 1999. Included were all patients with recently symptomatic carotid artery stenosis who were aged 80 years or older at time of operation. Thirty-two patients, with a mean age of 82 years, were included. Outcome events were stroke, death, and restenosis (more than 50% diameter reduction) during routine duplex scan follow-up. Conventional surgical technique was used regarding anesthesia and selective shunting or patching. None of the operated-on patients suffered a stroke at any time during follow-up. One patient (3.1%) died in the early postoperative phase (< 30 days). An additional 8 patients died during follow-up. None of these deaths were of cerebrovascular origin. Survival at 3 years was 73% (life table analysis). Routine duplex scan follow-up showed 2 patients with a diameter reduction of more than 50%, both 3 months after CEA. Restenosis rate on duplex scan was 7.4% after 1 year. The authors conclude that there seems to be no reason to deny the very elderly the benefits of CEA. Stroke-free survival and survival rates show that carotid surgery is a safe procedure in patients aged 80 and over who are in apparently good health. These findings are supported by a low incidence of restenosis on duplex scan follow-up, indicating a durable repair.