ABSTRACT
Introduction The first carotid reconstruction for internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis was reported in 1954 by Eastcott.1 Since then, carotid endarterectomy (CEA) has become widely accepted and is one of the most frequently performed procedures in many vascular surgical departments.2 The results of recently performed major randomized trials, such as the North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial (NASCET), the European Carotid Surgery Trial (ECST) and the Asymptomatic Carotid Atherosclerosis Study (ACAS), can be expected to increase significantly the performance of CEA in the coming years.3 The role of additional tools for selecting patients for CEA, for predicting and preventing peri-operative complications, and for evaluating the results of carotid surgery will inevitably expand.
