Carotid endarterectomy versus carotid angioplasty: comparison of current results.

Carotid endarterectomy is the standard treatment for carotid artery occlusive disease, with proven low morbidity and mortality and acceptable long-term durability. Recently, enthusiasm for carotid angioplasty and stenting has led to increasingly widespread clinical application of this endovascular technique. Because no prospective randomized trial has yet been published comparing carotid endarterectomy with carotid angioplasty and stenting, we must use data from statewide, population-based, and single-center reports to compare the procedures. Although carotid stenting has already earned a significant role in treating selected patients with carotid disease, current evidence does not indicate the use of carotid stenting as a routine alternative to carotid endarterectomy.