HYPOTHESIS: The operation for isolated, stenotic, and symptomatic kinking of the internal carotid artery is safe and effective in preventing stroke and relieving the symptoms of cerebral ischemia. DESIGN: A consecutive sample clinical study with a mean follow-up of 44 months. SETTING: The surgical department of an academic tertiary care center and an affiliated secondary care center. PATIENTS: Fifty-four patients with a mean age of 67 years underwent 55 revascularizations of the internal carotid artery. The surgical procedures consisted of the following: shortening and reimplantation in the common carotid artery in 36 cases, bypass grafting in 15 cases, and transposition into the external carotid artery in 4 cases. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Cumulative survival, primary patency, and stroke-free and neurologic symptom-free rates expressed by standard life-table analysis. RESULTS: No patients died in the postoperative period. The postoperative stroke rate was 1.8%. The cumulative rates (SEs) at 5 years were as follows: survival, 70% (10.2%); primary patency, 89% (7.8%); overall stroke free, 92% (6.8%); ipsilateral stroke free, 96% (5.3%); neurologic symptom free, 90% (7.5%); and ipsilateral symptom free, 93% (6.5%). CONCLUSION: Revascularization of the internal carotid artery for the treatment of isolated, stenotic, and symptomatic kinking is safe and effective in preventing stroke and relieving symptoms of cerebrovascular insufficiency.
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Giulio Illuminati (2003) studied this question.