Stroke and mortality rate in carotid endarterectomy: 228 consecutive operations.

A retrospective study of 228 consecutive carotid endarterectomies was conducted to determine the operative stroke and mortality rate in two 600-bed community hospitals. The combined stroke-mortality rate for the series was 21.1% (48 of 228). Eleven endarterectomies were performed for asymptomatic bruits and the combined stroke-mortality rate was 18.2% (2 of 11). Fifty-seven endarterectomies were performed for transient ischemic attach(s) in the symptomatic carotid artery distribution and the combined stroke-mortality rate was 21.1% (12 of 57). Seventy-one endarterectomies were performed following a mild-moderate stroke in the symptomatic carotid artery distribution and the combined stroke-mortality rate was 21.1% (15 of 71). Twelve endarterectomies were performed following a severe stroke in the symptomatic carotid artery distribution and the combined stroke-mortality rate was 41.7% (5 of 12). There was no trend toward more or less operation strokes or deaths from 1970 to 1976. The similarity of results among the eleven board-certified neurological and vascular surgeons who performed the 228 endarterectomies suggests that the operative stroke and mortality rates for carotid endarterectomy reported here are likely to be representative of those in many other community hospitals in this country in the 1970s.