Carotid endarterectomy is a special surgical procedure for the removal of the carotid artery blockage. We routinely perform this procedure under a loco – regional anesthesia for the ease in intra-operative neurological monitoring. The artery is opened and the plaque carefully removed. During the surgery, we use a shunt to maintain blood flow to the brain. The artery is then repaired using a vein or graft patch to prevent narrowing.
Once a patient develops stroke, some permanent damage would already have occurred in the brain. Hence, this treatment will not show significant improvement in managing the problems in such a case. Therefore, it is very essential to treat carotid blockage before a major stroke strikes you!
