Recent randomized clinical trials have confirmed the role of carotid endarterectomy in the prevention of a second stroke in patients with a recent stroke and severe carotid stenoses. However, the timing of the operation is still controvertial. Early surgery has been associated with cerebral hemorrhage and infarct extension. Delayed endarterectomy exposes the patient to recurrent stroke and carotid occlusion. The clinical studies addressing this problem are retrospective and nonrandomized. In the absence of a prospective randomized trial comparing early and late surgery, one approach to interpreting the surgical studies is to compare them with the natural history of stroke. The authors describe the rationale for early surgery, the natural history of ischemic strokes and the risk factors associated with perioperative strokes in patients undergoing endarterectomy.
Cerebrovascular disease; Carotid endarterectomy; Timing
