Early postoperative changes after desobliteration of the carotid artery. Subsequent diagnostic control using a high resolution ultrasonic-real-time-duplex-scanner.

The ultrasonic morphology of the carotid artery following 55 endarterectomies in 50 patients (36 males, 14 females, mean age 68 (53-83) years) was studied using a high resolution ultrasound duplex system (HUDS). The examinations were done 1-3 days before as well as 2-4 days and 1, 2, 4 and 8 weeks after surgery, respectively. The following typical appearance after carotid endarterectomy was found: At the site of endarterectomy the new vessel wall showed the following details: lack of the "sonographic tunica intima" the thickness of the vessel wall was reduced with less pronounced ultrasonic structure compared with healthy subjects the surface toward the lumen was less smooth "ultrasonic soft" thrombotic layers with irregular surface, individual distribution (sometimes only spots) and thickness (0.5 to 4.0 mm) were seen in the majority of patients. The edge of the tunica intima was always visible in the common carotid (edge of endarterectomy) whereas in the internal carotid artery there was often an interference of the jaw. The change of caliber at the site of the edge of the tunica intima was dependent on the thickness of the "sonographic intima" as well as on the layer of the vessel wall in which endarterectomy was done. At the site of arterial clamping, intramural hematomas, lesions of the tunica intima with thrombotic layers causing some stenosis were observed after 9 of 55 procedures. Vascular sutures were always visible as bright spots. A "normalization" of local flow patterns could be seen in dependence on the morphological "normalization".(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)