Hello everyone.
My good friend from the high school is professional tennis player in her country. She is all into that sport but she is having some health issues. She is fighting them successful but at her last examine doctors told her that she needs to do Carotid Endarterectomy. I don't know what this is and I don't want to ask her because I can see that she is scared. Now, Can you tell me What is Carotid Endarterectomy and how it is performed? Is this something that is hard and dangerous?
I really want to help her but I don't know how.
Hey Make Me Coffee,
I'd like some coffee too.
Carotid endarterectomy is a procedure to treat carotid artery disease. This disease occurs when fatty, waxy deposits build up in one of the carotid arteries. The carotid arteries are blood vessels located on each side of your neck (carotid arteries). This buildup of plaques (atherosclerosis) may restrict blood flow to your brain. Removing plaques causing the narrowing in the artery can improve blood flow in your carotid artery and reduce your risk of stroke.
It is a quite simple procedure and she should definitely do it, she is going to be a lot better after it.
In carotid endarterectomy, you receive a local or general anesthetic. Your surgeon makes an incision along the front of your neck, opens your carotid artery and removes the plaques that are clogging your artery. Your surgeon then repairs the artery with stitches or a patch made with a vein or artificial material (patch graft).
Sometimes surgeons may use another technique called eversion carotid endarterectomy, in which the carotid artery is cut and turned inside out and the plaque removed. Your surgeon then reattaches the artery.
Doctors may determine you're a candidate for a procedure calledcarotid angioplasty and stenting instead of carotid endarterectomy. In this procedure, doctors thread a thin tube (catheter) with a small balloon attached through a blood vessel in your neck to the narrowed artery. The balloon is then inflated to widen the artery and a small wire mesh coil (stent) is often inserted to keep the artery from narrowing again.
Hey Make me Coffee,
This isn't a dangerous procedure and requires no time to recover since recovery period isn't necessary at all. I can assure you that your friend is going to be just fine. She might have to take a small brake from her tennis love but she will get back to that eventually.
I think that she chose a good procedure for her condition. I mean, she didn't choose it but her doctor did, anyway, it was a good choice. You don't have to worry about her, and she shouldn't worry about it either, trust me, she is gonna be fine.
Hey. Look, carotid endarterectomy is a typical surgical procedure to open or clean the carotid artery with the goal of stroke prevention. It is a durable procedure but also you need to know that this is not a cure; because blockage can accumulate again. It is rare, sure but it can happen. Stroke occurs in 3% of patients with no pre-procedure symptoms. The operation is needed in this case and after the operation you will be asked to move your arms and legs and be examined by nurses and doctors to make sure that you have not had any new stroke symptoms. I don't know what is exactly procedure of performing this.
This buildup of plaques (atherosclerosis) may restrict blood flow to your brain. Removing plaques causing the narrowing in the artery can improve blood flow in your carotid artery and reduce your risk of stroke.