Every year, more than 300,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with blockages, or plaques, in their carotid artery. If left untreated, these blockages can slow or even stop blood flow to the brain, causing a potentially disabling stroke, also known as a "brain attack."
Carotid Endarterectomy (CEA) - is a surgical procedure to open or clean the carotid artery with the goal of stroke prevention. Endarterectomy involves physically removing plaque from inside the carotid artery. A surgeon makes an incision in the neck to expose the artery, clamps the artery, then opens it lengthwise in the region of the narrowing. After scraping the fatty plaque out of the artery, the surgeon enlarges the artery with a diamond-shaped patch, stitches the artery together, then closes the skin of the neck.
Cardiac Clinical Trials - Some hospitals are participating in cardiac clinical trials of new procedures that also help unblock the carotid artery.