Can you be too old to have carotid artery surgery?

Not necessarily: Age is relative. If a high functioning person has a TIA (mini-stroke) or a full blown stroke with carotid artery narrowing > 50%, then offering carotid surgery is an option. Poor cardiac function ( a bad heart ) is a contraindication for general anesthesia, however there are other options such as carotid stenting or an awake carotid endarterectomy using a nerve block.

No: The actual age is not as important as the functional wellness of the vital organ systems. The oldest person I have operated upon in terms of carotid endarterectomy was 95 years old. He was very healthy despite his advanced years.

Age and carotid surg: Age alone definitely should not be the factor that determines if your carotid disease is repairable. A comprehensive evaluation of a person's condition is needed to make that decision.

No: If it is not safe to be under genera anesthesia, it can be done under local.

Yes: Most carotid trials did not include 90 year olds.

Age for Carotid surg: Overall medical condition as evaluated by your doctors, not age, determines if you should have carotid surgery. A regional block anesthetic, meaning the neck is made numb, will allow the surgery to occur without having to put the person to sleep. This can dramatically reduce the strain on the person having the procedure; as a result we fix carotid arteries on people up into their 90s.