Methods: Between September 2010 and March 2015, a total of 135 patients (103 males, 32 females; mean age 68.3 years; range 46 to 92 years) who were operated with the diagnosis of carotid stenosis in our clinic were divided into two groups depending on the presence of an occluded contralateral artery. Thirty-two patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy with contralateral carotid artery occlusion were compared to 103 patients without contralateral occlusion. Baseline demographic characteristics, risk factors, type of surgical technique, postoperative early morbidity and mortality results of both groups were compared.

Results: Both groups were similar according to their demographic and perioperative characteristics. There was no statistically significant difference in postoperative neurological [carotid occlusion group (CO) 6.3%, control group 6.8%, p=0.638] or nonneurological (group CO 15.6%, control group 12.6%, p=0.430) complications between the two groups. The length of hospital stay did not differ between both groups statistically while length of intensive care unit stay was significantly longer in the group with occlusion (p=0.029). There was no significant difference in the postoperative mortality between the groups (group CO 0%, control group 1%, p=0.763).

Conclusion: Although morbidity and mortality are expected to be high in patients with contralateral carotid artery occlusion due to the limited cerebral blood supply, there was no significant increase in postoperative neurological complications, particularly. Therefore, we believe that contralateral occlusion does not pose an additional risk for surgery in patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy.