Carotid artery stent

**Carotid Artery Stent**

Carotid artery stenting is a minimally invasive procedure used to treat carotid artery disease, a condition in which plaque builds up in the carotid arteries, which supply blood to the brain. During the procedure, a small stent is inserted into the carotid artery to widen it and restore blood flow.

**Benefits:**

* Restores blood flow to the brain, reducing the risk of stroke
* Minimally invasive, with a short recovery time
* Can be performed on patients with high surgical risk
* Durable results, with stent patency rates of over 95% at 5 years

**Risks:**

* Stroke (1-2% risk)
* Bleeding
* Infection
* Transient ischemic attack (TIA)

**Candidates:**

Carotid artery stenting may be recommended for patients with:

* Carotid artery disease with a high risk of stroke
* Concomitant heart disease or other medical conditions that make surgical intervention risky
* Recurrent carotid stenosis after carotid endarterectomy

**Procedure:**

The procedure typically takes 60-90 minutes and involves:

* Making a small incision in the groin
* Advancing a catheter through the femoral artery and carotid artery
* Deploying the stent in the narrowed carotid artery

**Recovery:**

* Most patients are discharged from the hospital the day after the procedure
* Recovery typically takes 2-4 weeks
* Follow-up appointments and imaging tests are typically recommended to monitor stent patency

**Keywords:**

carotid artery stent, carotid artery disease, stroke prevention, minimally invasive, short recovery time, high surgical risk, durable results, restenosis, recurrent stenosis, carotid endarterectomy