Use of computerized cerebral tomography in selection of patients for elective and urgent carotid endarterectomy.

The charts of 181 patients who underwent computerized cerebral tomography (CCT) prior to carotid endarterectomy were reviewed. Findings on cerebral tomography were correlated with clinical presentation, frequency of intraoperative changes in the electroencephalogram (EEG), and occurrence of postoperative neurologic deficits. In the elective group (154 patients), while there was a significant (p less than 0.001) increase of positive ipsilateral CCT findings in stroke patients, 36% of patients with clinical stroke had a negative CCT scan and 21% of patients who were clinically asymptomatic had a positive CCT scan. Results of CCT did not correlate with the incidence of EEG changes (p greater than 0.2) or postoperative stroke rate (3.2%) (p greater than 0.5). Results of urgent carotid endarterectomy were directly related to the findings on preoperative CCT scan. A negative CCT scan was associated with clinical improvement in 88% of patients, one case of neurologic deterioration (5.8%) and no mortality (p less than 0.05). Only 50% of patients operated on acutely with a positive CCT scan showed neurologic improvement while there was a 40% increase in neurologic morbidity and 10% mortality in this group (p less than 0.01). CCT plays a limited role in the preoperative evaluation of patients with clear-cut clinical evidence of thrombo-embolic stroke or transient cerebral ischemia. Findings on CCT scan were of no help prognostically in selecting patients for elective carotid endarterectomy. In contrast, CCT scans have been extremely helpful in planning therapy for patients with acute neurologic problems and evidence of significant extracranial vascular disease.