A tailored approach to operative repair of extracranial carotid aneurysms based on anatomic types and kinks

BackgroundTo present outcomes following an operative approach of extracranial carotid artery aneurysm (ECAAs) based on anatomic types and associated kinks.MethodsThis study represents retrospective analysis of anatomic type based approach to operative repair of 84 patients with ECAA from 1994 to 2011, 28 (33.3%) with associated kinking. Patients were followed for neurological ischemic events, hematoma, cranial nerve injury, myocardial infarction, neurological, and overall mortality. The results are presented as early, within 30 days after the surgery, and long term during the follow-up.ResultsIn the early postoperative period, there were no strokes or mortalities, cranial nerve injury rate was 2.4% while 1 patient had myocardial infarction (1.2%). During the follow-up, 4 patients (4.8%) had stroke, out of which 2 patients died (2.3%), while overall mortality was 4.6%. The average 5-year survival rate was 96 ± 3%.ConclusionExcellent outcomes can be obtained with surgical repair of ECAA, which should be tailored to the anatomic types and presence of kinks.