Carotid Artery Disease

Carotid Artery Disease is the blockage or narrowing of the carotid arteries, the main source of blood flow from the heart to the brain. The carotid arteries can become blocked (occluded) or narrowed (stenosis) due to several different types of disease. The most common cause is atherosclerosis, a hardening or thickening of artery walls caused by plaque or fatty deposits. These deposits may prevent adequate blood flow into the brain, causing a variety of complications including stroke.

Treatments

Carotid endarterectomy

A surgical procedure to remove the build-up of fatty deposits or plaque from the inside of the carotid arteries. Under general anesthesia, the neurosurgeon exposes and opens the carotid artery, meticulously removing the plaque and precisely closing the vessel by use of a microsurgical technique.

Carotid stenting with distal protection

A procedure involving the insertion of a micro catheter through the femoral artery that is threaded through the vascular system into the narrow stenosis of the carotid artery. Once in place an angioplasty balloon is inflated to widen the artery. The next step is the placement of the stent (a small flexible cylindrical mesh tube). Once in place the stent is expanded with the balloon on the tip of the catheter. The stent prevents blockage from reoccurring. During all the procedure the brain is protected from strokes due to the use of a filter that catches any debris resultant from the manipulation of the plaque (distal protection device).