Carotid Endarterectomy for TIA and Stroke
Carotid Endarterectomy for TIA and Stroke
Guide
Carotid endarterectomy is surgery to remove plaque buildup in the carotid arteries. During a carotid endarterectomy:
The surgery takes about an hour. You will likely stay one night in the hospital.
Normal activities can be resumed within a week as long as the activities are not physically demanding. There may be some aching in the neck for up to 2 weeks.
Your doctor may suggest that you have this surgery if:1
You are most likely to benefit from surgery if you have had symptoms and if your carotid artery is narrowed by 70% or more. People with less than 50% narrowing do not seem to benefit from surgery.2
Carotid endarterectomy works better than treatment with medicine alone in preventing stroke for people who have symptoms that can be attributed to a 70% to 99% blockage of the carotid arteries.1
The major risks linked with carotid endarterectomy are:
Carefully weigh the benefits and risks of surgery, and compare them with the benefits and risks of medicine therapy. The success of medicine therapy will depend on how much narrowing (stenosis) is present in the arteries and the choice of medicine. Risks of surgery depend on your age, your overall health, the skill and experience of the surgeon, and the experience of the medical center where the surgery is done.
Carotid endarterectomy can be done several months after a stroke or TIA. But people benefit most from the surgery if it is done within 2 weeks of the stroke or TIA. Delaying surgery longer than 2 weeks increases the risk for stroke, because people are more likely to have a stroke in the first few days and weeks after a first stroke or a TIA.
The likelihood of complications from carotid endarterectomy varies, depending on the skill and experience of the surgeon. The American Heart Association and American Stroke Association recommend that surgery be done by a surgeon who has complications in less than 6% of the endarterectomy surgeries that he or she performs and that the hospital rate of complications be just as low.1
Complete the surgery information form (PDF)(What is a PDF document?) to help you prepare for this surgery.
ByHealthwise Staff
Primary Medical ReviewerE. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine
Specialist Medical ReviewerKarin M. Lindholm, DO - Neurology
Carotid Endarterectomy for TIA and Stroke
Guide
Carotid endarterectomy is surgery to remove plaque buildup in the carotid arteries. During a carotid endarterectomy:
- A small incision is made in the neck just below the level of the jaw. The narrowed carotid artery is exposed.
- The blood flow through the narrowed area may be temporarily rerouted (shunted). Rerouting is done by placing a tube in the vessel above and below the narrowing. Blood flows around the narrowed area during the surgery.
- The artery is opened and the plaque is removed, often in one piece.
- The shunt is removed, and the artery and skin incisions are closed.
- Stroke Prevention: Should I Have a Carotid Artery Procedure?
What To Expect After Surgery
The surgery takes about an hour. You will likely stay one night in the hospital.
Normal activities can be resumed within a week as long as the activities are not physically demanding. There may be some aching in the neck for up to 2 weeks.
Why It Is Done
Your doctor may suggest that you have this surgery if:1
- You have had a mild stroke or one or more transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) in the past 6 months and you have 70% or more narrowing in your carotid artery.
- You have a low risk of complications from the surgery.
- You have 50% to 69% narrowing and have had at least one of the following:
How Well It Works
You are most likely to benefit from surgery if you have had symptoms and if your carotid artery is narrowed by 70% or more. People with less than 50% narrowing do not seem to benefit from surgery.2
Carotid endarterectomy works better than treatment with medicine alone in preventing stroke for people who have symptoms that can be attributed to a 70% to 99% blockage of the carotid arteries.1
Risks
The major risks linked with carotid endarterectomy are:
- Stroke.
- Heart attack.
- Breathing problems.
- High blood pressure.
- Infection.
- Injury to nerves (usually causing vocal cord paralysis and problems with managing saliva and tongue movement).
- Bleeding in the brain.
- Death.
What To Think About
Carefully weigh the benefits and risks of surgery, and compare them with the benefits and risks of medicine therapy. The success of medicine therapy will depend on how much narrowing (stenosis) is present in the arteries and the choice of medicine. Risks of surgery depend on your age, your overall health, the skill and experience of the surgeon, and the experience of the medical center where the surgery is done.
- Stroke Prevention: Should I Have a Carotid Artery Procedure?
Carotid endarterectomy can be done several months after a stroke or TIA. But people benefit most from the surgery if it is done within 2 weeks of the stroke or TIA. Delaying surgery longer than 2 weeks increases the risk for stroke, because people are more likely to have a stroke in the first few days and weeks after a first stroke or a TIA.
The likelihood of complications from carotid endarterectomy varies, depending on the skill and experience of the surgeon. The American Heart Association and American Stroke Association recommend that surgery be done by a surgeon who has complications in less than 6% of the endarterectomy surgeries that he or she performs and that the hospital rate of complications be just as low.1
- Before surgery, any medical condition that increases the risk for stroke, such as high blood pressure or heart disease, needs to be controlled.
- The benefits of surgery may be temporary if disease or causes are not also treated. Make healthy lifestyle changes, and take medicines to lower your risk of problems.
Complete the surgery information form (PDF)(What is a PDF document?) to help you prepare for this surgery.
Related Information
Citations
Kernan WN, et al. (2014). Guidelines for the prevention of stroke in patients with stroke and transient ischemic attack: A guideline for healthcare professionals from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. Stroke, 45(7): 2160-2236. DOI: 10.1161/STR.0000000000000024. Accessed July 22, 2014.
Rerkasem K, Rothwell PM (2011). Carotid endarterectomy for symptomatic carotid stenosis. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (4).
ByHealthwise Staff
Primary Medical ReviewerE. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine
Specialist Medical ReviewerKarin M. Lindholm, DO - Neurology
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