Every year, more than 300,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with narrowing, 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."
TransCarotid Artery Revascularization (TCAR), is a unique minimally invasive procedure compared to the traditional carotid artery procedures. The surgeon first makes a small incision to expose the carotid in the low neck. After reversing the blood flow away from the brain, the surgeon, using a catheter, will insert a stent from that position, avoiding the risks that come from traveling up from the femoral artery, the aorta and up to the carotid artery. Reversing the blood flow before inserting the stent is done so that any small bits of plaque that may break off are diverted away from the brain, and filtered out of the blood stream, preventing a stroke. A stent is placed inside the artery to stabilize the plaque, minimizing the risk of a future stroke. Normal blood flow is then restored.
Cardiac Clinical Trials - Some hospitals are participating in cardiac clinical trials of new procedures that also help unblock the carotid artery.