Carotid Artery Disease |
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Carotid Artery Disease
 Signs and Symptoms
Diagnosis
Treatment
Treatment A number of large studies completed during the 1990s clearly demonstrated that surgery was the best treatment for reducing the risk of stroke in patients with severe blockages in the carotid arteries. At UCSF Medical Center, our vascular surgeons have over five decades of experience preventing strokes with carotid artery surgery.
Carotid artery surgery involves:
- Opening the artery
- Removing the plaque that is causing the narrowing
- Closing the artery, usually with a synthetic patch
During the surgery, a temporary bypass is often used to allow blood to flow around the area of surgery as it travels to the brain.
Mild to moderate blockages are treated with antiplatelet agents, such as aspirin. In addition, treatment involves identifying and reducing risk factors, such as cigarette smoking and high blood pressure. Ultrasound studies are repeated over time to monitor the blockage and determine if it has progressed to a severe blockage that requires surgery.
Not all patients are able to undergo surgery because of their overall medical condition or other specific factors. There are a number of new non-surgical options available to treat blockages in the carotid arteries, including balloon angioplasty and stents. Both of these procedures use a catheter-guided balloon, inflated in the blocked area, to open up the carotid artery. A metal stent may be inserted to help keep the artery expanded. At this time, the risks of stroke during these procedures and the long-term results of these procedures are still under investigation. Therefore, carotid artery angioplasty and stenting are currently recommended only for patients who are not candidates for conventional surgical treatment.
Reviewed by health care specialists at UCSF Medical Center.
Last updated May 8, 2007
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