Carotid Disease

Carotid surgery for stroke prevention is currently reserved for those with recent symptoms related to a stenosed (narrowed) internal carotid artery. The rationale for this is that arterial disease (i.e. atherosclerosis & plaque formation) here can subsequently fragment or cause small clots that could travel ‘downstream’ (embolise) to the brain causing a stroke.

The required operation is a carotid endarterectomy performed under general anaesthetic, involving removal of the diseased inner segment of affected artery with a patch repair of the vessel.

 

Carotid Endarterectomy