[Headache after carotid endarteriectomy].

The incidence and clinical features of headache in the early postoperative period after unilateral carotid endarterectomy were monitored in patients who had not complained of preoperative recurrent headache. The study included 187 patients (50 females and 147 males), mean age 63 years. Headache was recorded in 46 patients, while 141 patients (64.4%) had no complaint. Only 12 patients reported headache immediately after anaesthesia, while the remaining ones developed headache after 2.1 days (on the average). Generally, the pain was transitory, mean duration 2.6 days (range from 3 hrs to 7 days). Pulsating ache was reported by 22 patients, while 24 patients complained of a continous, dull pain. Only 15 patients complained of lateralized headache (always on the operated side), while the others reported diffuse pain, without lateralization. It is interesting that headache was more frequent in patients with bilateral carotid stenosis and preoperative complaints of "nonhemispheric" symptomatology (i.e. sensation of undefined height and unclear head).