Abstract
Mortality and morbidity associated with carotid endarterectomy may be minimized by proper selection of patients and proper operative and postoperative management. Complications include cardiac and airway problems related to anesthesia, infection, hematoma, nerve pareses, parotitis, arterial disruption, false aneurysms, and carotid-cavernous fistula. The most serious complication is the occurrence of neurologic deficits as a result of cerebral emboli or ischemia. Emboli are due to excessive manipulation of the artery, while ischemia results from hypotension, intracerebral thrombosis, or inadequate cerebral protection. Adequacy of collateral blood flow during carotid clamping is determined by temporary occlusion under local anesthesia, measurement of internal carotid artery stump pressure, or EEG monitoring. The most reliable method of cerebral protection is a temporary inlying shunt. Selective shunting is used if the patient is intolerant of temporary clamping, if stump pressure is below 55 mm Hg, or if EEG changes occur. For maximum safety, the author suggests routine shunting and general anesthesia. Operative mortality for patients experiencing transient ischemic attacks should be less than 1% and operation-related neurologic deficits no more than 2%. Meticulous attention to technical details is obligatory. Hypotension should be avoided during and after operation to avert thrombosis, and excessive hypertension postoperatively must be treated promptly to avoid cerebral hemorrhage and edema. Operation is contraindicated on patients with acute profound and progressing strokes.
Résumé
Une sélection adéquate des malades à opérer, une opération bien faite, une surveillance et une thérapeutique post-opératoires de qualité réduisent la mortalité et la morbidité de l'endartériectomie carotidienne. Les complications peuvent être des accidents cardiaques ou respiratoires en rapport avec l'anesthésie, des infections, des hématomes, des parésies par atteinte nerveuse, des parotidites, des ruptures artérielles, des faux anévrismes, des fistules carotido-caverneuses. La complication la plus grave est l'accident vasculaire cérébral par embolie ou ischémie cérébrale. Les embolies sont dues à des manipulations traumatisantes de l'artère; les ischémies résultent d'épisodes d'hypotension, de thromboses intracérébrales, d'insuffisance de protection du cerveau. Pour être certain que la circulation collatérale sera adéquate pendant la période de clampage carotidien, il faut clamper temporairement la carotide sous anesthésie locale, mesurer la pression intracarotidienne et surveiller l'EEG. La meilleure technique de protection cérébrale est le shunt temporaire intracarotidien. Ce shunt interne doit être utilisé si l'opéré présente des symptomes de souffrance cérébrale pendant le clampage temporaire, se la pression intracarotidienne s'abaisse en-dessous de 55 mm Hg, si l'EEG s'altère. Nous estimons cependant que, pour éviter tout accident, l'opération doit être faite dans tous les cas sous anesthésie générale avec shunt interne. La mortalité opératoire, pour les malades qui avaient eu avant l'opération des épisodes ischémiques transitoires, doit être inférieure à 1% et les séquelles neurologiques post-opératoires inférieures à 2%. L'opération doit être parfaitement menée, avec une attention minutieuse à tous les détails. Pour prévenir les thromboses, il faut éviter toute hypotension per- et post-opératoire. Pour prévenir l'hémorragie et l'oedème cérébral, tout épisode d'hypertension doit être rapidement corrigé. L'opération est contre-indiquée en cas d'accident vasculaire cérébral aigu, grave et d'allure progressive.
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Thompson, J.E. Complications of carotid endarterectomy and their prevention. World J. Surg. 3, 155–163 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01561265
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01561265