GALA: an international multicentre randomised trial comparing general anaesthesia versus local anaesthesia for carotid surgery.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Patients who have severe narrowing at or near the origin of the internal carotid artery as a result of atherosclerosis have a high risk of ischaemic stroke ipsilateral to the arterial lesion. Previous trials have shown that carotid endarterectomy improves long-term outcomes, particularly when performed soon after a prior transient ischaemic attack or mild ischaemic stroke. However, complications may occur during or soon after surgery, the most serious of which is stroke, which can be fatal. It has been suggested that performing the operation under local anaesthesia, rather than general anaesthesia, may be safer. Therefore, a prospective, randomised trial of local versus general anaesthesia for carotid endarterectomy was proposed to determine whether type of anaesthesia i

SUBMITTER: Gough MJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2413207 | biostudies-literature | 2008 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature