Multicenter study: outcomes of carotid endarterectomy depending on configuration of circle of Willis

BACKGROUND: The circle of Willis (CW) is an important network of collaterals that provide compensatory redistribution of hemodynamic load. Several studies showed that the CW is open in approximately 50%–90% of cases, and the number of missing segments correlates with low brain tolerance to ischemia in internal carotid artery (ICA) compression. Currently, studies dedicated to the relationship of different configurations of CW with the risk of ischemic brain damage. AIM: The analyze the immediate results of eversion carotid endarterectomy (CEA) in patients with different configurations of the structure of the CW. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We included 641 patients with hemodynamically significant stenosis of the internal carotid arteries (ICA) in a study period from 2010 to 2020. All patients underwent multispiral computed tomography with angiography of the extracranial and CW arteries. Based on the structural variants of the CW, six groups of patients were studied: group 1 (64.9%, n = 416) — closed posterior part (CPP) with the existence of posterior communicative artery (PCA) and P1 segment of the posterior cerebral artery (PCerA); group 2 (27%, n = 173) — an intermediate structure of the posterior part (IPP) with hypoplasia of the PCA or PCerA; group 3 (8.1%, n = 52) — open posterior part (OPP) with the absence of PCA or PCerA; group 4 (85.95%, n = 551) closed anterior part (CAP) with the presence of the anterior communicating artery (ACA) and A1 segment of the anterior cerebral artery (ACerA); group 5 (7.95%, n = 51) — an intermediate structure of the anterior part (IAP) with hypoplasia of ACA or ACerA; group 6 (6.1%, n = 39) — open anterior part (OAP) with the absence of ACA or ACerA. To assess the compensatory potentials of the brain, all patients underwent measurement of the retrograde pressure in the ICA and intraoperative cerebral oximetry. RESULTS: In the postoperative period, 1 death was recorded in group 4 (CAP) due to a hemorrhagic transformation in the zone of ischemic stroke, on the background development of hyperperfusion syndrome. The largest number of ischemic strokes of the cardioembolic subtype was diagnosed in the ACerA territory in the presence of an unstable atherosclerotic plaque: group 1 (CPP) 0%; group 2 (IPP) — 0%; group 3 (OPP) — 0.24%, n = 1; group 4 (CAP) — 0.18%, n = 1; group 5 (IAP) — 1.96%, n = 1; group 6 (OAP) — 5.1%, n = 2; p > 0.9999. The probable cause was embolization against the background increase in the arterial pressure before ICA clamping. In turn, the majority of ischemic strokes of the hemodynamic subtype developed in the territory of PCerA: group 1 (CPP) — 0%; group 2 (IPP) — 1.73%, n = 3; group 3 (OPP) — 3.8%, n = 2; group 4 (CAP) — 0.18%, n = 1; group 5 (IAP) — 0%; group 6 (OAP) — 2.56%, n = 1; p > 0.9999. This pattern coincided with the largest number of patients with CW of the IPP and OPP types among all open variants of the structure. CONCLUSION: Parameters of retrograde pressure in the ICA and intraoperative cerebral oximetry do not always demonstrate the need for a temporary shunt (TS). Due to the opened structure of CW, the redistribution of blood flow occurs with the formation of zones of hypo- and hyperperfusion, causing ischemic alterations in the brain matter. Thus, in order to maintain adequate cerebral hemodynamics, to mitigate the effect of hypo- and hyperperfusion, and reduce the risk of ischemic stroke, the open variant of the CW structure should be considered as an indication for a TS.