Carotid surgery under locoregional anaesthesia. Description of technique and results of our first 100 consecutive operations.

In a 28-month-period 100 consecutive carotid operations were performed on 91 patients under locoregional anaesthesia. The indications were 37 TIAs, 16 recovered strokes, 12 cases presenting with amaurosis fugax, eight with vertigo and 27 patients with severe but still asymptomatic stenosis. In 20 cases a shunt had to be used. Twice a transient neurological syndrome developed, two strokes occurred. One stroke patient died in the postoperative course. Carotid surgery under locoregional anaesthesia seems to be a safe method with advantages for the patient and the surgeon.