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Treating Carotid Artery Disease

Careful assessment and surgical proficiency are essential for the best results in caring for patients with carotid artery disease. Our surgeons can help patients avoid a future stroke or TIA.

What is carotid artery disease, and how can it lead to a stroke or TIA?

Your carotid arteries are the main supply of blood to your brain. Carotid artery disease means these arteries have become to narrow to work as well as they should. If the problem becomes severe enough to block the flow of blood to your brain, you could have a transient ischemic attack (TIA) or stroke.

Many things can cause a stroke. However, in the United States, about 1 in 4 strokes are caused by a build-up of plaque in the carotid artery. This is why treating carotid artery disease is so important.

What causes carotid artery disease?

Atherosclerosis, which involves a build-up of plaque in the carotid artery, is the most common cause of carotid artery disease. Some risk factors for atherosclerosis are things you can’t control, such as older age, a family history of the disease, being male and your ethnicity. Other risk factors might be related to your lifestyle, such as smoking and a lack of exercise.

What are the symptoms of carotid artery disease?

You might not have any symptoms of carotid artery disease. Some people know they have the disease after a TIA, which is a temporary loss of blood flow to the brain. TIAs usually last from a few minutes to an hour and go away within 24 hours, most of the time leaving no permanent brain damage.

Other people may find out they have carotid artery disease after having a stroke. During a stroke, the loss of blood flow causes permanent brain damage. These patients may need treatment for carotid artery disease in order to prevent another stroke or TIA. You may also need treatment if you do not have symptoms, but have severe artery blockage.

How do you treat carotid artery disease?

There are a few options for treating carotid artery disease. During an open carotid endarterectomy, your surgeon will remove plaque and clots from the arteries in your neck. With carotid stenting, a minimally invasive procedure, your surgeon will insert a stent to help hold your artery open. Typically recovery is quick and involves one overnight stay at the hospital.

If you have carotid artery disease, it’s very important for your doctor to carefully assess your unique case. At Vascular Care of Texas, our surgeons strive to achieve the best results in caring for this challenging condition.

Other Treatments

Arterial Disease

Carotid Artery Disease

Chronic Venous Hypertension

Claudication

Critical Limb Ischemia

Deep Venous Thrombosis

Dialysis

Nonhealing Wounds

Peripheral Aneurysms

Peripheral Artery Disease

Pulmonary Embolus

Stroke

Subclavian Steal Syndrome

Subclavian Stenosis

Transient Ischemic Attacks

Varicose Veins

Venous Insufficiency

Venous Stasis Ulcers

Meet Our Doctors

Edic Stephanian, MD, FACS

Edic Stephanian, MD, FACS

VASCULAR SURGEON

JAMES HAYHURST, MD, FACS

JAMES HAYHURST, MD, FACS

VASCULAR SURGEON

KAMRAN JAFREE, MD

KAMRAN JAFREE, MD

VASCULAR SURGEON

Ranan Mendelsberg, MD

Ranan Mendelsberg, MD

VASCULAR SURGEON

Questions?