Stroke Prevention

If you have carotid artery disease, you face a higher risk of stroke. That’s because fatty plaque has built up in the vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood to your brain. When that buildup increases enough to deprive your brain of oxygen, you experience a stroke—a form of brain damage.

Ask your doctor about two options Southern Ohio Medical Center offers to increase blood flow to your brain and reduce the risk of a stroke. These procedures are called carotid stenting and carotid endarterectomy.

Carotid Stenting

A stent is a metal-mesh tube that’s small enough to fit inside a blood vessel. When placed in a narrowed artery, it keeps the blood vessel open to ensure healthy blood flow.

You’ll be awake and alert during carotid stent placement—a nonsurgical procedure. Your doctor will:

1. Make a small puncture over an artery in your upper thigh
2. Insert a catheter (thin, soft tube) that carries the stent
3. Guide the catheter up to the blockage and place the stent
4. Withdraw the catheter

In some cases, your doctor may also inflate a tiny balloon in the artery to widen it. This procedure is called angioplasty.

During treatment, a tiny filter blocks pieces of fat from breaking off, traveling to the brain and causing a stroke. Your doctor removes the filter afterward.

Recovery After Carotid Stenting

Carotid stenting is a minimally invasive procedure that doesn’t use incisions. So, you’ll recover much sooner and with less pain than after surgery. Within a day or two of treatment, you may be able to return home.

Carotid Endarterectomy

Carotid endarterectomy is a surgical procedure to remove fat from one or more arteries that send blood and oxygen to your brain. A vascular surgeon will make an incision in the skin of your neck, where the blood vessels are located. Then, the surgeon cleans out the plaque and stitches up the incision.

You may spend one or two nights in the hospital after carotid endarterectomy. Your surgical team will tell you when it’s safe to return to your usual activities.