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Objective: Most studies on outcomes of carotid endarterectomy (CEA) have focused on the major complications of death and stroke. Less is known about minor but more common surgical complications such as hematoma, cranial nerve palsy, and wound infection. This study used data from a large, population-based cohort study to describe the incidence of minor surgical complications after CEA and examine associations between minor and major complications., Methods: The New York Carotid Artery Surgery (NYCAS) study examined all Medicare beneficiaries who underwent CEA from January 1998 to June 1999 in NY State. Detailed clinical information on preoperative characteristics and complications < or =30 days of surgery was abstracted from hospital charts. Associations between minor (cranial nerve palsies, hematoma, and wound infection) and major complications (death/stroke) were examined with chi(2) tests and multivariate logistic regression., Results: The NYCAS study had data on 9308 CEAs performed by 482 surgeons in 167 hospitals. Overall, 10% of patients had a minor surgical complication (cranial nerve (CN) palsy, 5.5%; hematoma, 5.0%; and wound infection, 0.2%). Cardiac complications occurred in 3.9% (myocardial 1.1%, unstable angina 0.9%, pulmonary edema 2.1%, and ventricular tachycardia 0.8%). In both unadjusted and adjusted analyses, the occurrence of any minor surgical complication, CN palsy alone, or hematoma alone was associated with 3 to 4-fold greater odds of perioperative stroke or combined risk of death and nonfatal stroke (P < 0.0001). Patients with cardiac complications had 4 to 5-fold increased odds of stroke or combined risk of death and stroke., Conclusion: Minor surgical complications are common after CEA and are associated with much higher risk of death and stroke. Patient factors, process factors, and direct causality are involved in this relationship, but future work will be needed to better understand their relative contributions.

Introduction: Arterial endarterectomy and reconstruction during carotid endarterectomy (CEA) can be performed in a variety of ways, including standard endarterectomy with primary closure, standard endarterectomy with patch angioplasty, and eversion endarterectomy. The optimal method of arterial reconstruction remains a matter of controversy. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of the method of arterial reconstruction during CEA on perioperative outcome., Methods: A retrospective cohort study of consecutive CEAs performed by 81 surgeons during 1997 and 1998 in six regional hospitals was performed. Detailed clinical data regarding each case and all deaths and nonfatal strokes within 30 days of surgery were ascertained by an independent review of the inpatient chart, outpatient surgeon record, and the hospitals' administrative databases. Two physician investigators--one neurologist and one internist--confirmed each adverse event by independently reviewing patients' medical records., Results: A total of 1972 CEAs were performed. The mean age of the patients was 72.3 years, and 57.2% were male. Preoperative neurologic symptoms occurred in 28.7% of cases (n = 566), and the remaining 71.3% were asymptomatic before surgery (n = 1406). The method of arterial reconstruction was chosen by the surgeon. Primary closure was performed in 11.8% (n = 233), patch angioplasty in 69.8% (n = 1377), and eversion endarterectomy in 18.4% (n = 362). There was no significant difference in the preoperative symptom status of patients who underwent primary closure compared with the other methods of reconstruction (72.5% asymptomatic vs 71.1%, p = NS). Primary closure cases were significantly more likely to experience perioperative stroke compared with the other closure techniques (5.6% vs 2.2%, P = .006). Primary closure cases also had a higher incidence of perioperative stroke or death compared with the other closure techniques (6.0% vs 2.5%, P = .006). There were no significant differences with regard to either perioperative stroke, or perioperative stroke/death noted when comparing patch angioplasty with eversion endarterectomy: stroke, 2.2% vs 2.5% (P = NS) and stroke/death, 2.5% vs 2.5% (P = NS) respectively., Conclusion: It appears that primary closure is associated with significantly worse perioperative outcomes compared with endarterectomy with patch angioplasty and eversion endarterectomy, even when the preoperative symptom status of the patient cohorts is equivalent. Although some of its advocates have reported that they can properly select appropriate patients for primary closure based on the size of the artery and other factors, the data demonstrate that these patients have poorer outcomes nonetheless. Primary closure during carotid endarterectomy should predominantly be abandoned in favor of either standard endarterectomy with patch angioplasty or eversion endarterectomy.

Objective: The net benefit for patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy is critically dependent on the risk of perioperative stroke and death. Information about risk factors can aid appropriate selection of patients and inform efforts to reduce complication rates. This study identifies the clinical, radiographic, surgical, and anesthesia variables that are independent predictors of deaths and stroke following carotid endarterectomy., Methods: A retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy in 1997 and 1998 by 64 surgeons in 6 hospitals was performed (N = 1972). Detailed information on clinical, radiographic, surgical, anesthesia, and medical management variables and deaths or strokes within 30 days of surgery were abstracted from inpatient and outpatient records. Multivariate logistic regression models identified independent clinical characteristics and operative techniques associated with risk-adjusted rates of combined death and nonfatal stroke as well as all strokes., Results: Death or stroke occurred in 2.28% of patients without carotid symptoms, 2.93% of those with carotid transient ischemic attacks, and 7.11% of those with strokes (P < .0001). Three clinical factors increased the risk-adjusted odds of complications: stroke as the indication for surgery (odds ratio [OR], 2.84; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.55-5.20), presence of active coronary artery disease (OR, 3.58; 95% CI = 1.53-8.36), and contralateral carotid stenosis > or =50% (OR, 2.32; 95% CI = 1.33-4.02). Two surgical techniques reduced the risk-adjusted odds of death or stroke: use of local anesthesia (OR, 0.30; 95% CI = 0.16-0.58) and patch closure (OR, 0.43; 95% CI = 0.24-0.76)., Conclusions: Information about these risk factors may help physicians weigh the risks and benefits of carotid endarterectomy in individual patients. Two operative techniques (use of local anesthesia and patch closure) may lower the risk of death or stroke.