Treatment of transient ischemic attack by carotid endarterectomy

Fourty-five patients with transient ischemic attack (TIA) were treated by carotid endarterectomy. All of them had typical manifestation of TIA and stenosis of extracranial carotid artery verified by angiography. After operation most of them were uneventful, but 2 experienced TIA, 2 contralateral reversible weakness and 1 mild hoarseness. There was no mortality. The role of carotid endarterectomy in the prevention and treatment of TIA, and some technical factors including anesthesia, intraoperative monitoring, management of stenosis of high subcranial internal carotid artery and postoperative care, were discussed.