Unusual indications for carotid artery surgery.

Nineteen patients with transient ischaemic attacks (TIA), selected from a series of 420 patients who underwent carotid endarterectomy during the last 10 years were studied. All had one occluded and one stenosed internal carotid artery with neurological symptoms from the contralateral brain hemisphere in relation to the stenosis. Carotid endarterectomy was performed on the stenosed side utilizing temporary bypass with continuous bypass blood flow measurements. The mortality was 5%. In 14 of 16 patients the symptoms disappeared postoperatively. The cause of the patients symptoms was probable embolization from the stenosed carotid artery to the contralateral hemisphere or episodes of ischaemia due to haemodynamic importance of the stenosis.