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The GALA Trial: Will It Influence Clinical Practice?

Department of Vascular Surgery, Red Cross Hospital, Athens, Greece

Dimitri P. Mikhailidis, MD, FFPM, FRCPath, FRCP

Department of Clinical Biochemistry (Vascular Disease Prevention Clinic), Royal Free Hospital Campus, University College London (UCL), University of London, London, United Kingdom, MIKHAILIDIS{at}aol.com

Peter R.F. Bell, DSc, MD, FRCS

University of Leicester, United Kingdom

The General Anesthesia vs. Local Anesthesia for Carotid Surgery (GALA) trial did not show a difference in 30-day postoperative stroke, myocardial infarction and death rates between patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CEA) under local vs. general anesthesia. The present article discusses some limitations of the GALA trial. Firstly, the expected stroke and death rates following CEA is so low, that it was unlikely that the GALA trial would show any significant difference between local and general anesthesia. Secondly, preoperative statin use was not recorded. Thirdly, intraoperative shunt usa ge rates (a possible parameter for the development of stroke) varied considerably between the 2 groups (43% vs. 14%, for general vs. local anesthesia, respectively; P < .0001), as well as between UK and non-UK surgeons who always (73.6% vs. 20.8%, respectively; P < .0001), never (4.2% vs. 26%, respectively; P < .0002), or selectively (22.2% vs. 53.2%, respectively; P < .0001) used a shunt. Furthermore, no information was provided regarding the type of shunts used; for example, atraumatic shunts may be associated with lower perioperative stroke rates. These limitations could influence the interpretation of the results of the GALA trial. Due to lack of differences between the 2 groups and the presence of the above limitations, it seems likely that this trial will have little effect on clinical practice.

Key Words: carotid endarterectomy • GALA • stroke • shunts

This version was published on October 1, 2009

Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Vol. 43, No. 5, 429-432 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/1538574409340589


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