Safety of carotid endarterectomy in 2,443 elderly patients: lessons from nonagenarians--are we pushing the limit?

BACKGROUND: Elderly patients are a rapidly expanding segment of the population. Recent studies suggest that octogenarians have mortality and morbidity after carotid endarterectomy (CEA) similar to that in their younger cohort. Outcomes of CEA performed in nonagenarians have not been commonly reported; this study seeks to determine the safety of CEA in nonagenarians in general practice.

STUDY DESIGN: All patients in nonfederal Connecticut hospitals undergoing CEA between 1990 and 2002 were identified using the state discharge database (Chime Inc; ).

RESULTS: A total of 14,679 procedures were performed during the 12 study years. Sixty-four patients were nonagenarians (0.4%). Perioperative mortality was higher among nonagenarians (3.1%) compared with younger patients, including the 2,379 octogenarians (0.6%; p = 0.008, chi-square; odds ratio = 9.1, p = 0.006). No statistically significant difference was noted in perioperative stroke rates between nonagenarians (3.1%) and octogenarians (1.2%; p = 0.35, chi-square; odds ratio 2.3, p = 0.28). Nonagenarians had longer hospital lengths of stay (7.3 days, p < 0.0001), intensive care unit lengths of stay (1.2 days, p = 0.0013), and greater hospital charges ($17,967 +/- $1,907, p < 0.0001) than younger patients. Nonagenarians underwent operative procedures more frequently in an emergent setting (22%) compared with octogenarians (11%, p < 0.001) and had a greater percentage of symptomatic presentations (stroke: 14% versus 11%, p = 0.04; transient ischemic attack: 8% versus 5%, p = 0.04, respectively). All perioperative deaths and strokes occurred in symptomatic nonagenarians (15% versus 0%, p = 0.038; 15% versus 0%, p = 0.038; respectively).

CONCLUSIONS: Carotid endarterectomy is performed in nonagenarians, as a group, with greater rates of perioperative mortality and morbidity than in younger patients, including octogenarians. But nonagenarians have a greater rate of symptomatic and emergent presentations than younger patients, which may account for their increased mortality, morbidity, length of stay, and incurred charges. Asymptomatic nonagenarians have similar outcomes after carotid endarterectomy compared with younger patients, including octogenarians, with low rates of mortality and morbidity.