Venous patch grafts and carotid endarterectomy. A critical appraisal.

Seventy-eight patients underwent 83 carotid endarterectomies (CEAs) with vein patch grafts from 1980 to 1985. A technically satisfactory endarterectomy was confirmed by completion arteriogram in all instances. Indications for venous patch graft included a diameter of the internal carotid artery of less than 3.0 mm (49 patients); an internal carotid artery diameter of less than 3.5 mm, with contralateral internal carotid artery occlusion (nine patients); unexpected stenosis detected by completion arteriogram (six patients); a reexploration for neurologic deficit following conventional CEA (three patients); and irregular surface or edges of the endarterectomy site or high extension of a plaque (16 patients). Late follow-up arteriograms (66 studies) after a mean two-year interval revealed three instances (4.5%) of recurrent asymptomatic stenosis. Four patients (6%) developed late occlusions; three were asymptomatic and one was associated with major stroke 2 1/2 years later. One patient (1.5%) developed a false aneurysm. One patient experienced a postoperative transient ischemic attack. There was no operative mortality. Six patients died in the late follow-up period. The venous patch graft ensured immediate patency of the internal carotid artery but failed to prevent recurrent stenosis or occlusion in internal carotid arteries less than 3.0 mm in diameter.