Free beam laser endarterectomy (LE) and contact laser endarterectomy (CLE) were compared in 15 arteriosclerotic New Zealand white rabbits. The rabbits underwent balloon catheter trauma to the thoracoabdominal aorta and were fed a 2% cholesterol diet for 18 weeks. Thoracoabdominal exploration was performed under general anesthesia and multiple endarterectomies were performed in each rabbit. Athe...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Chlamydia pneumoniae has repeatedly been associated with atherosclerotic disease. Our study was designed to clarify whether this association is based on C pneumoniae-induced transformation of a stable into an unstable atherosclerotic plaque or on stimulation of hypercoagulability leading to increased thrombotic arterial occlusions by C pneumoniae infection. Transcranial D...

Cerebral hyperperfusion syndrome is a rare but well-described complication following carotid endarterectomy or stenting. Clinical signs are ipsilateral, throbbing, unilateral headache with nausea or vomiting, seizures, and neurological deficits, with or without intracerebral abnormalities on CT scan, such as brain edema or intracerebral hemorrhage. Subarachnoidal hemorrhage is rarely described ...

INTRODUCTION Completeness of myocardial revascularization is essential in surgical treatment of coronary artery disease. The aim of this study is to determine the effectiveness of coronary endarterectomy as an adjunct to coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in the most difficult cases. MATERIAL AND METHODS Among 1559 patients who had CABG in our department, the cases of 17 who underwent an ...

Carotid artery stenosis is responsible for between 10-20% of all ischaemic strokes. Interventions, such as carotid endarterectomy and carotid stenting, effectively reduce the risk of stroke in selected individuals. This review describes the history of carotid interventions, and summarises reliable evidence on the safety and efficacy of these interventions gained from large randomised clinical t...

Controversy exists concerning the best management of patients with coronary artery and carotid artery disease. Between June 1994 and July 2000, 88 patients with coronary artery and carotid artery disease underwent combined coronary artery surgery and carotid endarterectomy. Demographics and perioperative variables of these patients were compared with those of 266 patients undergoing isolated co...

OBJECTIVE Matrix metalloproteinases are inflammatory biomarkers involved in carotid plaque instability. Our objective was to analyze the inflammatory activity of plasma and carotid plaque MMP-8 and MMP-9 after intravenous administration of hydrocortisone. METHODS The study included 22 patients with stenosis ≥ 70% in the carotid artery (11 symptomatic and 11 asymptomatic) who underwent carotid...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Carotid endarterectomy is an effective method for preventing strokes if patients do not suffer adverse perioperative outcomes. The purpose of this study was to identify preoperative patient risk factors for adverse outcomes (death or nonfatal stroke) after carotid endarterectomy through the use of a large population-based registry from Ontario, Canada. METHODS Medical r...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The comparison between carotid endarterectomy and carotid artery stenting (CAS) remains a debated field, especially in the context of long-term outcomes. METHODS Concerning the short-term (30-day) analysis, the numbers of outcomes per arm were abstracted, whereas outcomes per arm and hazard ratios were abstracted for long-term (≥1-year) results. RESULTS Thirteen rando...

The objective of the authors is to assess the natural history of carotid artery disease and the role of carotid intervention in preventing ipsilateral stroke. The development of endovascular techniques for correction of carotid artery stenoses made this less invasive technique very popular, with an inherent risk of unregulated overuse by a variety of medical specialists, who are not always well...