Changes in the Use of Carotid Revascularization Among the Medicare Population

Philip P. Goodney
2008 Archives of Surgery  
Hypothesis: It remains unknown if the increasing use of carotid artery stenting (CAS) has caused a change in the population-based use of carotid endarterectomy (CEA). We sought to examine national trends in carotid revascularization. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Setting: Academic research. Main Outcome Measures: We examined the frequency of CEA and CAS using Current Procedural Terminology codes for CEA, peripheral stent insertion, and cerebrovascular disease. To exclude patients who
more » ... went stenting of a peripheral artery other than the carotid artery, we excluded all patients with a primary diagnostic code for peripheral vascular disease.
doi:10.1001/archsurg.2007.43 pmid:18283142 fatcat:4efay2dcdjfqfbr65rbhxbfhca