Within the time frame of 2000 through 2011, 29 patients (mean age, 73.4聽years) undergoing CEA with additional PTP of the ICA and standardized patchplasty were retrospectively identified. Patient characteristics, surgical procedural details, and both short- (<30聽days) and long- (>30聽days) term clinical and duplex ultrasound follow-up were retrieved. Restenosis was defined as 鈮?0% stenosis on duplex ultrasound. In addition, a literature search was performed on different techniques for ICA shortening.
Thirty-day outcome revealed no deaths or strokes. No postprocedural thrombosis or narrowing of the ipsilateral ICA was observed. During follow-up (mean, 34.3聽months; range, 3-125聽months), one patient (4%) died of a noncardiovascular cause. Three patients (11%) developed ipsilateral neurological symptoms (1 stroke, 2 transient ischemic attacks) after 5, 19, and 66聽months follow-up, respectively. Of these, two patients (7%) had restenosis at the site of PTP. Asymptomatic restenosis occurred in one other patient (4%) after 16聽months.
Although the indications for additional shortening procedures following CEA need to be defined, in this small series, PTP as an additional shortening procedure of the ICA following CEA seems feasible and safe with no additional periprocedural risk for narrowing at the plicature or thrombosis of the endarterectomy plane. However, restenosis at the plicature may hamper the long term benefit of carotid reconstruction.