Natural history of cerebral complications of coronary artery bypass graft surgery

We reviewed 1,669 patients who survived coronary artery bypass graft surgery between 1969 and 1981. A total of 75 cerebral complications were identified, including (1) altered mental state, (2) stroke, and (3) seizure in 64 patients (3.8%). Altered mental state (delirium, hypoxic-metabolic encephalopathy) occurred in 57 (3.4%). Postoperative arrhythmias were associated with an increased risk of altered mental state. Cerebral infarction occurred in 13 (0.8%). Patients who suffered stroke had a higher occurrence of carotid bruits and history of peripheral vascular disease. Seizures occurred in five patients (0.3%). Mortality in patients with a neurologic complication was 29%.     

颈动脉狭窄血管内支架治疗8例

目的:总结颈动脉狭窄血管内治疗的基本方法,探讨该术式治疗颈动脉狭窄的临床意义,并发症及其治疗经验。方法:对8例颈动脉狭窄患者进行血管内治疗,对全部患者进行全脑血管造影术及围手术期抗凝治疗,4例患者使用脑保护装置,共放支架8个,其中Wallstent支架3个,smart支架5个。结果:1例术中出现微栓子脱落轻度卒中,1例术中出现一过性心动过缓血压下降,其后逐渐恢复,I例术后持续性低血压,7例患者症状好转或消失,占87.5%,在使用脑保护装置的4例患者中均无神经系统并发症。对8例患者进行随诊,随诊时间1年半无明显并发症。结论:颈动脉狭窄血管内支架治疗是一项安全有效的治疗手段,采用正规的围手术期治疗和应用脑保护装置可以减少神经系统并发症。     

Bypass to the intracranial internal carotid artery.

Extracranial to intracranial internal carotid artery bypass surgery with vein is well described for a number of diverse conditions. They provide high blood flow with good initial patency. However, long term patencies for specific graft types remains unknown. This is an analysis of consecutive interposition saphenous vein bypass cases between the common carotid artery (CCA) and the intracranial internal carotid artery (ICA) where the distal anastomosis was placed end-to-end immediately proximal to the posterior communicating artery in 55 patients undergoing 57 bypass procedures (bilateral in 2 cases). Twenty-five patients underwent grafting for planned vessel obliteration where the pathology required vessel sacrifice. Twenty-eight patients had bypass grafting for stroke risk reduction in the setting of threatening stroke and 4 patients had bypass grafts for emergency revascularisation in the setting of stroke in evolution. Patients were assessed preoperatively and at follow-up with modified Rankin scores. Procedural related complications included a 7% mortality and 7% functional decline. Early graft occlusion occurred in 5% of grafts leading to death in each case. A further patient died of rupture at the distal anastomosis site. In surviving patients, patency was present in 100% at last follow-up (mean 5 years and maximum 11 years) with no patient sustaining new hemispheric ischemic events. One patient developed a delayed asymptomatic stenosis within the vein graft requiring stenting. Because of the high initial management risks this technique of common carotid to intracranial internal carotid artery saphenous vein bypass surgery should be reserved for patients at considerable risk by alternate management. However, once the acute postoperative period is past the bypass appears to be robust and capable of supplying the entire distribution of a normal internal carotid artery.     

Early neurological complications after internal carotid endarterectomy

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Stenosis of internal carotid arteries is one of the leading causes of ischemic stroke. Surgical restoration of arterial patency is the primary therapeutic method, aimed to prevent future ischemic stroke. This treatment mode is mainly reserved for patients with recurrent stenoses of internal carotid artery. Endarterectomy of internal carotid artery poses some risk of complications, and neurological complications are among the most dangerous ones. The purpose of the study was to assess early neurologic complications after surgical reopening of the affected arteries. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 119 patients being operated because of critical stenosis of an internal carotid artery in the Department of General and Vascular Surgery of the Provincial Specialist Hospital in Olsztyn between 1999 and 2003. The main indications for surgical treatment were episodes of sustained cerebral ischemia and stenosis of an internal carotid artery exceeding 70%, documented with the ultrasound or angiographic examination. RESULTS: Neurologic complications occurred in 16 patients (12%). Ischemic stroke occurred in 6 cases, transient ischemic attacks in 4 cases, acute cerebral hyperemia in one case and four patients suffered from transient cranial nerve palsy. The most important risk factors of complications were: a previous episode of cerebral ischemia, significant stenosis of a contralateral artery, nicotinism, arterial hypertension and coronary artery disease. Females are exposed to a significantly greater risk of complications. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical reopening of internal carotid arteries is a relatively safe therapeutic method with a modest risk of neurological complications, with the most dangerous and potentially lethal ischemic stroke occurring relatively rarely.     

Complications of cerebral angiography in patients with symptomatic carotid territory ischaemia screened by carotid ultrasound.

After nearly 40 years, carotid endarterectomy has been shown to be of benefit to patients with symptomatic carotid territory ischaemia and greater than 70% stenosis of the relevant internal carotid artery. Cerebral angiography is performed before surgery and is not without risk. These risks must be added to those of surgery before recommending the procedure to patients. The study evaluated the local, systemic and neurological complications following digital subtraction angiography with selective catheterisation of the carotid arteries in 200 patients presenting to a cerebrovascular clinic for assessment of cerebral ischaemia. All patients had carotid ultrasound screening before angiography to screen out those with normal arteries or mild disease (less than 30% stenosis of symptomatic internal carotid artery). Complications occurred in 28 patients. There were six (3%) local, two (1%) systemic and 20 (10%) neurological complications. Seventeen neurological complications occurred within 24 hours and there were three late complications (24-72 hours). Neurological complications occurred more frequently when angiography was performed by a trainee rather than a consultant neuroradiologist (p < 0.01). The neurological complications were transient (resolved within 24 hours) in 10/200 (5%), reversible (resolved within seven days) in two (1%) and permanent in 8/200 (4%). Two patients died after a stroke and two other patients suffered a disabling stroke. At 24 hours post angiography the permanent (persisting beyond seven days) neurological complication rate was 2.5%. The incidence of total neurological complications and post angiographic strokes was higher in patients with greater than 90% stenosis of the symptomatic internal carotid artery (p < 0.001). The increased use of non-invasive Doppler duplex screening will reduced the absolute number of patients put at risk of angiography, yet the rate of post angiographic complications is likely to increase as patients with severe stenosis of the symptomatic internal carotid artery are probably most at risk of complications and have most to gain from carotid endarterectomy.     

Risk factors for atherosclerosis of cervicocerebral arteries: intracranial versus extracranial

OBJECTIVES: To search for factors determining the site of atherosclerosis of the cervicocerebral arteries in patients from Bangkok (Thailand) with ischemic stroke in the carotid territory. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients with the clinical syndrome of stroke or transient ischemic attack in the carotid territory or with ocular stroke were retrospectively studied. They were divided into an intracranial and an extracranial carotid stenosis group based on their vascular imaging. The stroke risk factors were then compared. RESULTS: There were 49 cases with extracranial carotid stenosis and 51 with intracranial stenosis. Among the patients with extracranial stenosis, 98% had associated intracranial disease, whereas none of those with intracranial stenosis had more than 50% of extracranial carotid stenosis. The presence of diabetes mellitus and a history of ischemic heart disease were found to be significantly more prevalent among patients with extracranial internal carotid artery stenosis. CONCLUSION: Diabetes mellitus as well as a history of ischemic heart disease were found to be more significantly prevalent in patients with combined extracranial internal carotid artery and intracranial stenosis. Extracranial carotid stenosis might represent a more severe atherosclerotic process of the cervicocerebral circulation when compared with intracranial stenosis.     

Risk of stroke during coronary artery bypass graft surgery in patients with internal carotid artery disease documented by angiography

We retrospectively identified 144 patients who underwent coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery in the presence of angiographically documented greater than or equal to 50% internal carotid stenosis or occlusion. Of these, 115 patients had bilateral carotid lesions and received combined operations involving carotid endarterectomy on only one side. The remaining 29 patients, including 11 with bilateral carotid lesions, underwent coronary bypass alone. Nine cerebral infarcts occurred (6%), but only three strokes (2%) were appropriate to the cerebral hemisphere ipsilateral to unoperated carotid stenosis. There was one stroke (3%) among the 29 patients who did not undergo combined procedures. In the group of 115 patients with bilateral carotid disease who received unilateral combined carotid endarterectomy there were 8 perioperative strokes (7%), of which 6 were ipsilateral to the endarterectomy. Asymptomatic unilateral less than 90% ICA stenosis or ICA occlusion does not increase stroke risk during CABG surgery.     

Combining carotid endarterectomy with off-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery is safe and effective

Background:

We, as neurologists, are frequently consulted to give neurological clearance for surgery in patients who are undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery and have suffered from stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) in past. Similarly clearance is also sought in another group of patients who, though have not suffered from stroke or TIA, but found to have significant carotid stenosis on routine screening prior to surgery. Cardiac surgeons and anesthetists want to know the risk of perioperative stroke in such patients and should carotid endarterectomy (CEA) be done along with CABG. In absence of any clear-cut guideline, neurologists often fail to give any specific recommendation.

Aim:

To find out safety and efficacy of synchronous CEA in patients undergoing CABG.

Design:

Retrospective study.

Materials and Methods:

Out of 3,700 patients who underwent CABG, 150 were found to have severe carotid stenosis of >70%. Out of this, 46 patients with >80% stenosis (three symptomatic and 43 asymptomatic) and one patient with >70% symptomatic carotid stenosis (TIA within last 2 weeks) were taken for simultaneous CEA along with CABG. These three symptomatic carotid patients had suffered from stroke within last 6 months.

Results:

One patient with asymptomatic near total occlusion of carotid artery suffered from hyperperfusion syndrome. None suffered from ischemic stroke, myocardial infarction (MI), or death during perioperative period.

Conclusion:

Combining CEA along with CABG is a safe and effective procedure.     

Neurological complications of carotid revascularisation

Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is an effective treatment for patients with recently symptomatic severe carotid stenosis and in selected patients with symptomatic moderate carotid stenosis. Carotid artery angioplasty and stenting (CAS) is emerging as an alternative to CEA, and randomised controlled trials suggest comparable efficacy to CEA in prevention of non-perioperative stroke. Neurovascular complications can result from both procedures, usually from thromboembolism from the operated vessel, cerebral hypoperfusion causing ischaemia and, rarely, intracerebral haemorrhage. The overall incidence of perioperative strokes complicating CEA and CAS is approximately 4% and 6%, respectively, and represents a devastating outcome that the procedure was designed to prevent. Other neurological sequelae complicating carotid revascularisation include cerebral hyperperfusion syndrome, cranial and peripheral nerve injuries, and contrast encephalopathy in patients undergoing CAS. In this review, we analyse the incidence, mechanisms and perioperative management of neurological complications for patients undergoing carotid revascularisation.     

Outcome for patients with carotid stenosis undergoing carotid endarterectomy, the cerebral condition followed by extra/intracranial ultrasound examinations

Seventy-six patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy were studied to estimate the effect of operation, evaluate the accessible methods of examination and disclose the complications owing to the operation. In addition, the hypothesis that the pulsatility index in MCA measured by the Doppler method could disclose severe ischemia and risk of complications during endarterectomy was tested. The study was a prospective study of patients operated at the University Hospital in Odense in the years 1991-1996. Data collected included demographics, operative indications, complications, follow-up extra/transcranial Doppler examinations, cerebrovascular reactivity investigations, recurrent symptoms and deaths. Concerning the carotid stenosis, a fairly good correlation was found between the results of extracranial Doppler examinations, Duplex and carotid angiography. Serious complications after surgery were few. One patient, who had a coronary by-pass operation consecutive to the endarterectomy, died 3 weeks after the operation, owing to a hematothorax. Five patients (7%) suffered a stroke. Only 2 patients needed rehabilitation, and they came out with minor disturbances in the use of a hand. Recurrent stenosis in excess of 69% emerged in 3% of the patients. All were hemodynamically insignificant. One patient had a new TIA during the observation time of 3-60 months. After the operation she had a thrombosis in the operated carotid artery. Thus our results, a perioperative stroke rate of 7% and a mortality rate of 1%, are in line with the average results in multicenter trials. In addition a PI below 0.60 in the MCA seemed to be a warning of the risk of postoperative cerebral hyperemia.     

颈动脉支架术后持续性血流动力学抑制的危险因素

目的 探讨颈动脉支架置入术（CAS）后持续性血流动力学抑制（PHD）的危险因素。方法 回顾性分析2017年3月至2020年10月CAS治疗的207例颈动脉狭窄的临床资料。结果 207例中,56例（25.9%）CAS后发生PHD,持续时间3～148 h,中位数13 h(9～20 h)。9例需要升压药维持收缩压≥90 mmHg,6例（2.8%）发生卒中。多因素logistic回归分析显示,无临床症状、狭窄部位与颈动脉分叉距离<10 mm、未服用他汀类药物是CAS后发生PHD的独立危险因素（P<0.05）。结论 CAS后PHD发生率较高。无症状性颈动脉狭窄、狭窄靠近颈动脉分叉的病人更容易发生PHD,服用他汀类药物有助于减少PHD。     

The impact of pre-operative symptoms on carotid endarterectomy Outcomes: Analysis of the ACS-NSQIP carotid endarterectomy database

Carotid artery stenosis accounts for up to 20% of ischemic strokes. Since the 1950 s, one of the primary surgical treatment for this condition is carotid endarterectomy (CEA). Because of improvement of medical therapy for carotid artery atherosclerosis and the increased use of carotid artery stents, CEA is indicated if the risk of stroke and death are low. The goal of this study is to characterize the impact of pre-operative stroke and stroke risk factors on post-operative CEA patient outcomes, using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) Targeted Vascular Module on CEA. Using the Targeted Vascular Module of the ACS-NSQIP, 22,116 patients who underwent CEA were identified from 2011 to 2016. Univariate analysis and multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify significant risk factors that predispose patients to stroke. Patients with pre-operative stroke comprise 42.1% of the group, with post-operative stroke being the second most common complication (2.1%). Pre-operative stroke patients were also at a higher risk for transient ischemic attacks, post-operative restenosis, post-operative distal embolization, and other complications. Patients with pre-operative risk factors, including stroke or stroke-like symptoms, high risk physiologic factors, high risk anatomic factors, and contralateral internal carotid artery stenosis were at a higher risk of developing post-operative stroke and other complications. Patients with these pre-operative risk factors should be closely monitored for post-operative complications in an effort to improve patient outcomes.     

Feasibility of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty for carotid artery stenosis.

Percutaneous transluminal balloon angioplasty was attempted in seven patients with internal carotid artery stenosis, including one patient who had two procedures. All had recurrent, carotid territory, neurological symptoms considered haemodynamic in origin. Six had occlusion of the contralateral internal carotid artery. Cerebral blood flow studies confirmed diminished cerebrovascular reserve in six patients studied. In five patients (six procedures) angioplasty of the stenosed internal carotid artery was carried out successfully. With two patients technical difficulty in crossing the stenosis prevented angioplasty and in one patient with bilateral stenosis the procedure was not attempted on the second side because of the severity of the stenosis. In two patients transient aphasia developed during cannulation of the carotid artery and in another a transient monoparesis developed during the procedure. Both these haemodynamic complications recovered within ten minutes. No other complications occurred. Our experience suggests that balloon angioplasty is technically feasible in the management of stenotic carotid disease associated with haemodynamic stroke. It is a technically simple procedure requiring only a brief admission to hospital. However, its general application to patients with thromboembolic carotid-territory stroke will depend on the risk/benefit ratio compared to carotid endarterectomy or to conventional medical treatment.     

Risk factors and outcome of patients with carotid artery stenosis presenting with lacunar stroke. North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial Group

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between carotid artery stenosis, other risk factors, and lacunar stroke. BACKGROUND: Carotid artery stenosis in patients presenting with lacune stroke may be coincidental or causal. The distinction by risk factor profile is uncertain. The risk and cause of subsequent stroke, and benefit of carotid endarterectomy (CE) is unknown. METHODS: Stroke in patients entering the North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial were classified as nonlacunar, possible lacune (symptoms without CT lacunae), or probable lacune (symptoms with CT lacunae). RESULTS: Of 1,158 patients with hemispheric stroke, 493 had features of lacunar stroke (283 possible and 210 probable). Lacunar stroke presented more commonly in patients with milder (<50%) degrees of internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis (p = 0.003). History of diabetes and hyperlipidemia, not hypertension, were associated independently even after accounting for the degree of stenosis. Medically treated patients presenting with nonlacunar stroke had a low risk of subsequent lacunar events of 2.9% at 3 years in comparison with 9.2% for probable lacunar presentation (p = 0.03). For patients with 50 to 99% ICA stenosis, the relative risk reductions (RRRs) in stroke from CE were 35% when the presenting stroke was probable lacunar versus 61% when the stroke was nonlacunar. Patients presenting with a possible lacunar stroke had a 53% RRR. CONCLUSIONS: History of diabetes and hyperlipidemia were more important than arterial hypertension as risk factors for patients with lacunar stroke. Patients presenting with lacunar stroke more often had milder ICA stenosis. Although CE reduced the risk of stroke in all patients with 50 to 99% ICA stenosis, lesser benefits were observed in patients presenting with lacunar stroke.     

Management of coexistent carotid artery and coronary artery disease

At the present time staged carotid reconstruction several days before elective coronary artery bypass surgery seems to be the safest and most logical approach for patients with neurological symptoms, stable cardiac symptoms, and acceptable coronary anatomy. Combined procedures may well be necessary for those who have active neurological symptoms or bilateral carotid lesions in conjunction with diffuse or unstable coronary artery disease, but the incidence of neurological complications at the time of simultaneous operations could exceed the stroke risk for either carotid endarterectomy or coronary bypass alone. The asymptomatic patient with unilateral carotid stenosis who presents for coronary artery bypass might be best managed by myocardial revascularization followed by medical or surgical management of the carotid disease. In order to obtain optimal long-term results, both coronary disease and associated carotid disease require appropriate evaluation and medical and surgical management.     

Prognosis of asymptomatic carotid occlusion

Ninety-four asymptomatic patients with internal carotid artery occlusion were followed for a mean of 44 months, 16% suffered strokes and 11.7% reported transient ischemic attacks (TIA). The annual stroke and TIA rates were 4.4% and 3.2%, respectively, the annual mortality was 11.3%. In 27 asymptomatic patients progression of extracranial arterial disease to occlusion was observed: 7.4% of these patients suffered from stroke and 18.5% reported TIA's during that period. Thus the annual stroke rate was lower (1.9%) but the TIA rate higher (4.7%) than post-occlusive rates. These data reflect an increase risk in patients with progressive high-degree carotid stenosis which continues after occlusion. This may favour carotid endarterectomy for selected patients in the pre-occlusive state because medical treatment has not been shown to prevent progression of stenosis to occlusion.     

Long-term risk of stroke and other vascular events in patients with asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis

CONTEXT: The annual risk of ischemic stroke in patients with asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis is about 2% during the short-term (2-3 years), but the long-term risks of stroke and other vascular events are unknown, although they may affect surgical decision making. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the long-term risk of stroke and other vascular events in patients with asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis. DESIGN: Cohort study with a median follow-up of 10 years (range, 5-18 years). SETTING: The teaching hospital of the University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario. PATIENTS: From the initial cohort of 500 patients, 106 patients with asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis were selected because they had completed at least 5 years of follow-up. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Ipsilateral stroke, myocardial infarction, and nonstroke vascular death. RESULTS: The 10- and 15-year actuarial risks of ipsilateral stroke were 5.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0%-12%) and 8.7% (95% CI, 1%-17%), respectively, in patients with 0% to 49% internal carotid artery stenosis, and 9.3% (95% CI, 1%-18%) and 16.6% (95% CI, 1%-32%) in patients with 50% to 99% internal carotid artery stenosis. The 10- and 15-year risks of myocardial infarction and nonstroke vascular death were 10.1% (95% CI, 4%-16%) and 24.0% (95% CI, 14%-34%). Age (P =.02), diabetes mellitus (P =.02), and internal carotid artery stenosis of 50% or more (P =.04) were predictive of increased risks of myocardial infarction and nonstroke vascular death. Internal carotid artery stenosis of 50% or more did predict the risk of ipsilateral stroke (P =.003) when all 181 asymptomatic carotid arteries were included. CONCLUSIONS: The annual stroke risk in patients with asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis was low and remained stable during long-term follow-up. Any benefit from carotid surgery is therefore unlikely to increase significantly with long-term follow-up. The high long-term risks of myocardial infarction and nonstroke vascular death suggest that prevention strategies should concentrate on coronary risk more than stroke risk.     

Diabetes as a determinant of high-grade carotid artery stenosis: Evaluation of 1,058 cases by Doppler sonography

Our objective was to investigate the association of risk factors, especially diabetes mellitus, with high-grade carotid artery stenosis. The study group was chosen from the patients who were sent to our Doppler ultrasonography laboratory for detecting the vascular anatomy. Doppler sonography was performed in 1,058 patients. High-grade carotid artery stenosis with a diameter reduction of 70% to 99% was detected in 89 patients. In the moderate and mild stenosis groups, we had 85 and 884 patients, respectively. Patients in the moderate stenosis group had a 40% to 69% carotid stenosis, and patients in the mild group had a 0% to 39% stenosis or normal ultrasonographic findings. Parameters of age, sex, alcohol, smoking, ischemic heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes were considered potential risk factors for stenosis. Multivariate logistic regression model was used as the statistical test in comparing the 3 groups. In the high-grade stenosis group, sex distribution was 34.8% female and 65.2% male with a mean age of 64.48 ± 10.19 years. In the second and third groups these distributions were 51.8% female and 48.2% male with a mean age of 65.15 ± 9.66 years, and 54.30% female and 45.70% male with a mean age 59.56 ± 12.37, respectively. Diabetes mellitus (odds ratio [OR] = 2.77), ischemic heart disease (OR = 1.67), age (OR = 1.02), and male gender (OR = 1.75) were found to be significantly associated with high-grade carotid stenosis. As a cost-effective, noninvasive, easily performed, and fast technique, Doppler sonography is used in vascular evaluation of patients. Early diagnosis of carotid artery disease in patients with modifiable risk factors like diabetes may play an important role in the prevention of a consequent stroke.     

Reduced stroke risk in patients with compromised cerebral blood flow reactivity treated with superficial temporal artery to distal middle cerebral artery bypass surgery.

Extracranial-to-intracranial (EC-IC) bypass surgery for the prevention of stroke in patients with symptomatic carotid artery occlusion has nearly ended after a randomized trial showed no benefit of the procedure. Although an EC-IC bypass might benefit patients with compromised cerebrovascular hemodynamics, the randomized trial did not differentiate patients with hemodynamic from embolic etiologies. However, subsequent investigators have identified a subgroup of patients at increased stroke risk from hemodynamic compromise. Methods: We examined the subsequent stroke rate of 42 patients with symptomatic carotid occlusion at high risk for stroke identified as having a baseline cerebral blood flow (CBF)<45 mL/100 g/min and a >5% CBF reduction in one vascular territory after a vasodilatory challenge from 1 g of intravenous acetazolamide on stable xenon-computed tomography (CT) CBF imaging. Results: Thirty patients (group 1) treated medically were a subgroup with carotid occlusion from our long-term natural history study. During a median follow-up of 12 months, 9 patients (30%) had a new stroke within a median of 5 months. Twelve patients (group 2) had recurrent, disabling cerebral ischemic symptoms, with 8 progressing to mild fixed neurological deficits from deep white matter infarction identified on CT. All were treated with superficial temporal artery to distal middle cerebral artery (STA-MCA) bypass with restoration of cerebrovascular reserve postoperatively; none had a stroke during the 18-month minimum follow-up (P=.041). Perioperative morbidity included subendocardial infarction in one and a small, asymptomatic left frontal hemorrhage in another patient. Early postoperative and delayed xenon/CT CBF studies obtained a median of 5 months postoperatively showed maintenance of cerebrovascular reserve. Conclusion: STA-MCA bypass surgery can restore cerebrovascular reserve in high-risk patients with symptomatic internal carotid artery occlusion. This was achieved with minimal perioperative complications, resulting in a subsequent reduction of stroke frequency. We suggest that the efficacy of STA-MCA bypass surgery for symptomatic carotid occlusion be re-examined prospectively using hemodynamic selection criteria.     

颈动脉超声对冠状动脉狭窄患者缺血性脑血管疾病的评价及其与传统危险因素的关系

目的探讨颈动脉超声对预测冠状动脉狭窄患者颅内动脉狭窄的价值,以及颈动脉超声相对于其它动脉粥样硬化主要危险因素预测缺血性心脑血管疾病的优越性。方法对209例经血管造影证实冠状动脉狭窄(≥70%)的患者采用彩色多谱勒血流成像(CDFI)和经颅多普勒超声(TCD)分别检查颈动脉和颅内动脉,并将患者分为颈动脉狭窄组与非狭窄组;脑动脉狭窄组与非狭窄组,分别比较狭窄组与非狭窄组之间的危险因素及生化指标,进一步对冠状动脉狭窄合并颅内动脉狭窄的主要危险因素与颈动脉超声结果中具有显著性统计学意义的指标,分析二者之间的相关性。结果颈动脉超声对缺血性心脑血管疾病的预测价值较传统的危险因素更高。结论高血压病、颈动脉球部内膜增厚、多发斑块及不均质回声斑块对冠状动脉狭窄患者颅内动脉狭窄有明显的促进作用。采用CDFI对确诊冠状动脉狭窄患者进行检测,对心脑血管事件高危人群进行筛选、评价治疗疗效和预后具有重要意义。