Long-Term Results of Stenting versus Endarterectomy for Carotid-Artery Stenosis

In this long-term follow-up of a randomized trial comparing endarterectomy with stenting for carotid-artery stenosis, the risks of periprocedural stroke, myocardial infarction, or death and subsequent ipsilateral stroke did not differ between groups over a 10-year period. We previously reported the outcomes up to 4 years in the Carotid Revascularization Endarterectomy versus Stenting Trial (CREST). 1 No significant difference was shown between patients assigned to stenting and those assigned to endarterectomy with respect to the composite primary end point of periprocedural stroke, myocardial infarction, or death and subsequent ipsilateral stroke. At baseline, the mean age of the patients was 69 years, and at that age the average life expectancy is 15 years for men and 17 years for women. 2 As such, long-term treatment differences should be central to treatment decisions. We now report whether the outcomes after stenting . . .