The suitability of expanded PTFE for carotid patch angioplasty.

From June 1985 to December 1988, 175 consecutive patients underwent 204 carotid endarterectomies with routine use of expanded PTFE patch angioplasty. Two patients (1%) suffered strokes and there were no transient ischemic attacks or deaths in the immediate postoperative period. All carotid endarterectomies were performed with an intraluminal shunt without cerebral monitoring. The indications for carotid endarterectomy were symptoms (83% of patients) or no symptoms of internal carotid artery atherosclerotic stenoses (12.7% of patients). Neurological assessment, Doppler and real-time ultrasound were performed at six months, twelve months and then annually. Over the follow-up period there were one asymptomatic occlusion and two high grade symptomatic stenoses which required reoperation.