Case-matched comparison of early and long-term outcomes of everted cervical vein and saphenous vein carotid patch angioplasty.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To compare outcomes after carotid endarterectomy (CEA) with saphenous vein patch closure (SV), with cervical vein (external jugular and common facial) patch closure (CV). DESIGN: A total of 322 cases of CEA was achieved consecutively by using venous patch angioplasty. Propensity scores were calculated followed by a one-to-one basis case-matching. MATERIALS This resulted into 90 SV and 90 CV matched cases. METHODS: The primary endpoint was the incidence of ipsilateral stroke and transient ischaemic attack at any time during follow-up. RESULTS: Ten-year freedom from stroke was 94.1% ± 3.5% for the SV group and 90.5% ± 4.2% for the CV group (log rank P = 0.230). Ten-year freedom from ipsilateral neurological events (stroke and transient ischaemic attack) was 93.5% ± 3.3% for SV group and 92.4% ± 3.0% for the CV group (log rank P = 0.403). Ten-year freedom from ≥75% stenosis/occlusion was 93.1 ± 4.8% for the SV group and 89.9 ± 6.0% for the CV group (log rank P = 0.481). CONCLUSIONS: CV is a good alternative to SV patching, particularly when the SV needs to be preserved for further use or is unsuitable.