Results of carotidal endarterectomy in different age group

Background. Carotid endarterectomy is an effective and safe operation aimed at treating patients with hemo-dynamically significant stenosis of the carotid arteries, the outcomes of which are well studied, and the permissible levels of postoperative complications are presented in the current recommendations. Nevertheless, the issues related to the incidence of cardiovascular accidents in different age groups of patients have not been sufficiently studied. Objective. Analysis of hospital outcomes of carotid endarterectomy in different age groups. Design and methods. The study included 1416 patients who were operated on for stenotic lesions of the internal carotid arteries. According to the WHO classification, patients were divided into groups depending on age: up to 44 years — young age (n = 76); 45-59 years old — average age (n = 291); 60-74 — old age (n = 835); over 75 years old — old age (n = 214). The compensatory capabilities of cerebral blood flow were assessed by invasive measurement of the retrograde pressure in the internal carotid artery. The endpoints were death, myocardial infarction, acute cerebrovascular accident, transient ischemic attack, hemorrhagic complications, cranial nerve damage, combined endpoint. Results. There were no significant differences in the incidence of all cardiovascular events. In the group of young patients, no lethal outcomes, myocardial infarction, acute cerebrovascular accident, or transient ischemic attack were recorded. All deaths were caused by the development of ischemic stroke as a result of distal embolization. In cases of non-fatal acute disorders of cerebral circulation, transient ischemic attacks in 1 patient of the 60-74 year group, the catastrophe developed against the background of thrombosis of the internal carotid arteries. In other 3 cases, on the background of the development of hyperperfusion syndrome. In 1 patient of the 60-74 year group, hemorrhagic transformation of the old ischemic focus with the development of intracerebral hematoma was recorded. There was also no significant intergroup difference in the incidence of hemorrhagic complications. The total number of all cardiovascular events in each group and the sample as a whole did not exceed one and a half percent, which corresponded to the standards described in the current recommendations. Conclusion. There was no statistically significant difference in the development of adverse cardiovascular events depending on the patient’s age.