Contemporary Trends in Physician Utilization Rates of CEA and CAS for Asymptomatic Carotid Stenosis among Medicare Beneficiaries.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Carotid revascularization for asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis (ACAS) has become increasingly controversial in the past few decades as the best medical therapy has improved. The aim of this study was to assess and define contemporary trends in the rate of carotid revascularization procedures for ACAS in the United States and to characterize outlier physicians performing a higher rate of asymptomatic revascularization compared to their peers.

Methods

We used 100% Medicare fee-for-service claims to identify all patients who were newly diagnosed with ACAS between 01/2011-06/2018. Patients with symptomatic carotid artery stenosis, those with prior carotid revascularization, and surgeons who performed ≤10 CEAs during the study period were excluded. We used a hierar

SUBMITTER: Sorber R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7902356 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature