Introduction: Carotid Endarterectomy (CE) can be mentioned as a valuable theraputic method for primary and secondary prevention of stroke, provided it can be performed in vascular surgery centers with a low surgical risk. Thus, the present study aimed to assess prognosis of CE in high risk patients of an Iranian vascular surgery center.

Methods: This prospective observational study consisted of 50 high risk CE patients during 2011-14 in Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. All the high risk CE were performed by a vascular surgeon and a surgical carotid shunt was placed in each CE. Neurologic evaluation was performed before CE and serial neurologic axamination was done after CE by a neurologist. Surgical complications including stroke, death and lower cranial nerve palsy were recorded for 30 days after operation.

Results: The study results revealed that 80% of high risk CE patients had symptomatic carotid stenosis on the operation side and 80% had carotid stenosis contralateral to the operation side. Thirteen high risk CE were performed simultaneously with coronary artery by pass graft and 24 patients were demonstrated to have diabetes. Post surgical death and stroke in the high risk CE patients were reported 2% and 4%, respectively. Lower cranial nerve palsy appeared in 2% of patients.

Conclusion: The 6% post operative stroke and death rate in the high risk CE patients are comparable to best vascular surgery centers in Europe and North America.