Treatment of carotid restenoses after thrombo-endarterectomy: a retrospective monocentric study

Abstract Objective To compare the different techniques for the treatment of carotid restenosis after carotid artery endarterectomy (CAE). Methods Among 1218 carotid surgeries carried out in our center between January 2010 and November 2017, 45 procedures were performed for carotid restenosis after CAE, including 11 by iterative conventional surgery and 34 with endovascular techniques (seven angioplasties alone (TLA), nine carotid artery stenting (CAS), and 18 angioplasties with active balloons (DCB)). Perioperative data (cumulated rate of morbi-mortality: CRMM, duration of hospitalization) and postoperative results (survival, symptomatic restenoses > 50% or asymptomatic stenoses > 70% on ultrasound, reinterventions) were collected retrospectively and analyzed with Fisher’s exact test. The long-term results were estimated according to Kaplan-Meier and were compared with the Log Rank test (p Results There was one secondary death due to a massive postoperative stroke in the endovascular group (ENDO). No significant difference regarding CRMM (2.9%, p = 0,756) between the iterative conventional surgery (OS) and the ENDO groups of was observed. Three hematomas were found in the OS group versus one in the ENDO group (p = 0.04). The length of hospital stay was shorter in the ENDO group (p 70% and two reinterventions in the ENDO group (p > 0.05). The comparison of the different endovascular techniques did not show significant differences regarding the CRMM, the one-year overall survival, the survival without recurrent restenosis, or the survival without reintervention (89% in the DCB and CAS groups vs 100% in the PTA group, Log Rank = 0.286; 87% in the DCB group vs 100% in the PTA and CAS groups, Log Rank = 0.137; and 94% in the DCB group vs 100% in the PTA and CAS groups, Log Rank = 0.585, respectively). Conclusion In our experience, endovascular procedures are equivalent to iterative conventional surgery for the treatment of carotid restenoses in terms of major complications, news restenoses or survival with less hematoma and a shorter duration of hospitalization. We however could not identify the best endovascular strategy in this indication, and a controlled study comparing the various endovascular strategies is proposed.