Conclusions
The risk of postoperative stroke after single stage CVS and CEA
progressively decreased over the years in our experience. The
development of postoperative stroke showed to have a strong impact on
mortality which, however, was very close to the lower limit of the rate
reported in the literature. Considering that stroke rate and mortality
was not non-inferior to isolated CVS, we consider that single stage
approach to concomitant coronary artery, and/or valve disease, and
extra-cranial severe carotid stenosis is our operation of choice in such
selected high-risk patients.