Background: In this study, we investigated the early results of carotid endarterectomy in patients with carotid artery disease, and compared our experience with the literature.

Methods: Forty-seven patients, (33 males, 14 females; mean age 67.1 years; range 42 to 83 years) who underwent carotid endarterectomy in our clinic between June 2004 - February 2010 were enrolled in the study. Twenty-nine patients (61.7%) underwent carotid endarterectomy, one underwent left carotid endarterectomy one month after right carotid endarterectomy, and 18 patients (38.3%) had concomitant carotid endarterectomy and coronary bypass operation. Patients that underwent carotid body tumor excision, carotid artery -internal jugular vein fistula repair, vessel repair because of carotid artery injury and carotid aneurysm repair were not included in the study.

Results: Two patients suffered from temporary neurological events in the early postoperative period. One patient had temporary loss of vision and the other one had dysphagia due to paralysis of N. hypoglossus. These findings regressed with medical therapy and the patients were discharged without sequelae. One patient who underwent combined carotid artery surgery and coronary bypass had stroke and died in the first postoperative day. No mortality occurred among the patients who underwent carotid artery surgery only. The rates of temporary minor neurological events, cranial nerve injury, stroke and mortality were all 2.08% (n=1 each), respectively. None of the surviving patients had permanent sequelae.

Conclusion: Our clinical experience and early results of surgery are compatible with the literature and support carotid endarterectomy as a safe procedure with low morbidity and mortality rates. Our late period follow-up is still ongoing.

Keywords : Carotid artery diseases; carotid stenosis; neurologic symptom; stroke