Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) mortality, AHRQ

Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is surgery that removes harmful plaque from the carotid arteries. These two arteries supply your brain with blood and oxygen. Blockage of these arteries is the most common cause of stroke and mini stroke (also known as a transient ischemic attack or TIA).

CEA is a fairly common procedure, however it does require technical skill. Proficiency may help to prevent clinically significant complications such as heart attack and death. While some patients have higher risks for complications than others, some of these complications may be preventable. A lower death rate may indicate that a hospital provides a higher level of patient care.

About this measure

Mortality rate is the statistical measure of the number of people who die.  The first graph below shows the number of CEA patients who died in the hospital out of every 100 patients who had a CEA procedure.  The second graph shows a trend over time for this measure. 

Note: In this case, a lower number is better.