Microsurgical thromboendarterectomy of the cavernous carotid artery--case report and surgical technique.

A 53-year-old male suffered a transient right hemiparesis and left monocular blindness. Angiography revealed 80% stenosis of the cavernous carotid artery. Microsurgical thromboendarterectomy was performed by a direct approach through Parkinson's triangle. During surgery, the carotid circulation was transiently trapped between the cervical and the supraclinoid segment and the trapped arterial lumen was irrigated with heparinized saline. Soft elastic lesion was easily removed. Cavernous carotid thromboendarterectomy through a direct approach is considered as a suitable operation for the solitary and localized stenotic lesions of the cavernous carotid artery, although this operation has not yet been reported to date.