Selective Versus Routine Shunting in Carotid Endarterectomy Patients

Selective Shunting in Appropriately Selected Patients Undergoing Carotid Endarterectomy Based on Stump Pressure

The project involves prospectively randomizing patients to either routine carotid shunting or selective carotid shunting during Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) under general anesthesia (GA) to see the difference in post-op complications and occurence rates. Patients will be randomized to Routine shunt vs selective groups.

The significance extends to all surgeons who perform Carotid endarterectomy because of their desire to improve patient care by decreasing the overall perioperative complication rate of the procedure by selectively not shunting those patients who ideally do not require it and thus eliminating the attendant morbidity associated with it.

The hypothesis is that there will be no difference in patient outcomes (death, minor strokes, major strokes, transient ischemic attack (TIA)) for patients undergoing a Carotid endarterectomy with a SP of > 50 mm Hg using selective shunting.Patients will be randomized to Routine shunt vs selective groups. In Selective shunt, there will be subgroup analysis to measure % stenosis if the systolic pressure is < 40mmHg calling it as Shunt group. All patients in the study, irrespective of treatment group will be followed post-operatively from 24 hours to 30 days. The patient will be monitored and the following outcomes documented - death, minor stroke, major stroke, trans-ischemic attack (TIA).

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients with a SP >= 50 mmHg will be randomized to receive a shunt or not receive a shunt.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients that will be excluded are those who present for a redo CEA, have had a coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), permanent stroke, and or a contralateral artery total occlusion of > 30%.
• Finally, consented patients with a stump pressure of <= 50 mm Hg will be excluded from the study and receive standard of care.