Open AccessThe Association of Central Retinal Artery Occlusion and Extracranial Carotid Artery Disease
Author(s) -
Daniel Douglas,
James J. Schuler,
Dale Buchbinder,
Bruce C. Dillon,
D. Preston Flanigan
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
annals of surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.153
H-Index - 309
eISSN - 1528-1140
pISSN - 0003-4932
DOI - 10.1097/00000658-198807000-00012
Subject(s) - medicine , carotid endarterectomy , central retinal artery occlusion , carotid artery disease , stroke (engine) , endarterectomy , etiology , incidence (geometry) , cardiology , retinal artery occlusion , occlusion , surgery , internal carotid artery , carotid arteries , retinal , ophthalmology , visual acuity , mechanical engineering , physics , optics , engineering
To determine the incidence of associated carotid artery disease and the effect of carotid endarterectomy on subsequent neurologic sequelae, a retrospective study of 66 patients with central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) was undertaken. Ipsilateral extracranial carotid artery disease was present in 23 of 33 patients (70%) who had carotid arteriography. Sixteen patients had carotid endarterectomy following their CRAO (Group I) and 50 did not (Group II). Seven of the 40 patients available for follow-up in Group II had a subsequent stroke (mean follow-up: 54 months). Of the seven Group II patients shown to have associated carotid disease (Group IIs), three (43%) had a subsequent stroke during follow-up (mean: 28.3 months) compared to zero in Group I (p = 0.033; mean follow-up: 18.7 months). Because of the strong association between CRAO and ipsilateral carotid artery disease and because of the significantly higher incidence of subsequent ipsilateral stroke in CRAO patients with carotid disease who did not undergo endarterectomy, thorough evaluation of the carotid arteries followed by carotid endarterectomy, if indicated, is warranted in CRAO patients who have no other obvious etiology for the occlusion.