Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42570031›Full record

Observational studyLangenbeck's archives of surgery2026

Reduction of postoperative care unit observation time following carotid endarterectomy: a targeted approach.

Alexandru Barb, Armend Salihi, Johannes Hatzl, Moritz Sebastian Bischoff, Sarah Dehne, Markus Alexander Weigand, Dittmar Böckler

Abstract readObservational Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Observational study in Langenbeck's archives of surgery, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
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0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Alexandru BarbMedical Faculty Heidelberg, Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany. alexandru.barb@med.uni-heidelberg.de.
Armend SalihiMedical Faculty Heidelberg, Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
Johannes HatzlMedical Faculty Heidelberg, Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
Moritz Sebastian BischoffMedical Faculty Heidelberg, Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
Sarah DehneMedical Faculty Heidelberg, Department of Anesthesiology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
Markus Alexander WeigandMedical Faculty Heidelberg, Department of Anesthesiology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
Dittmar BöcklerMedical Faculty Heidelberg, Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeTo evaluate the safety and feasibility of reducing the postoperative care unit (POCU) observation period from four hours to two hours following carotid endarterectomy (CEA) for asymptomatic, high grade carotid stenosis.

designMonocentric, retrospective-prospective observational cohort study.

methodsThe study evaluated the impact of reducing the routine POCU observation period following CEA on patient safety and early postoperative outcomes. No changes in surgical technique and anesthetic management were implemented during the study period. Beginning in March 2024, a revised postoperative monitoring protocol was implemented at our institution, reducing the standard postoperative observation time from four to two hours. For the patient cohort one year prior, between January 2023 and February 2024, a retrospective analysis was conducted. For the patients undergoing surgery from March 2024 onward, a standardized postoperative protocol was implemented in order to evaluate the new clinic standards.

resultsDuring the study period, 382 patients underwent CEA. Of these, 209 patients (54.7%) were excluded, predominantly due to symptomatic carotid stenosis. Overall, 173 patients (45.3%) met the inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis, with 87 assigned to Group I (4-hour monitoring) and 86 to Group II (2-hour monitoring).The overall incidence of postoperative complications during POCU stay did not differ significantly between the two groups (23% vs. 25.6%, p = .76). The majority of events occurred within the first 100 minutes after surgery. Postoperative bleeding requiring readmission to the POCU and surgical revision occurred in two cases (2.3%) in Group I and in one case (1.2%) in Group II (p = 1). Transient neurologic deficits were observed in two patients (2.3%) in Group I and in one patient (1.2%) in Group II (p = 1). In all cases, neurologic symptoms resolved spontaneously during hospital stay.

conclusionShortening the POCU observation period after CEA in asymptomatic patients appears safe and is not associated with an increased risk of complications.

Indexed as

Carotid StenosisEndarterectomy, CarotidPostoperative CarePostoperative ComplicationsAgedFeasibility StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedProspective StudiesRetrospective StudiesTime FactorsCarotid endarterectomyEnhanced recoveryHospital efficiencyPatient safetyPOCU stayPostoperative care

Identifiers

PMID42570031
PMCPMC13452744

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.