Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Harvard Medical School
		Leaders in Specialty Care Carotid Surgery and Stroke Prevention
		BIDMC surgeons are recognized for exemplary results in carotid artery surgery to remove plaque and reduce the risk of stroke. Carotid Artery Disease The carotid artery is the main blood vessel in the neck that brings blood to your brain. It can become blocked or partly blocked (called a stenosis) by atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries. This is similar to what can happen in the leg or heart vessels. When it gets blocked to a certain point there is a risk of developing a stroke, which can be minor or major. It is very common to have a blockage and not experience any symptoms at all. If you did develop symptoms, they may be: 1) Blindness in one eye that goes away in 15 minutes or less/ people say it is like a shade being pulled over the eye 2) Sudden weakness in a leg or hand that goes away 3) Sudden clumsiness in the hand- inability to write or hold a pen 4) Difficulty speaking, or inability to speak even though you know what you want to say 5) A prior stroke In general, symptoms such as dizziness, memory loss, vertigo, or headaches are not symptoms of carotid disease. To evaluate for a possibility of carotid disease, we will schedule an ultrasound, which is quick and painless. Depending on the severity of the blockage we may recommend surgery. Patients who have blockages and no symptoms are still at an increased risk of stroke over the next several years and surgery has been shown to decrease this risk. Scheduling of the surgery should be done in the next several months but it is not an emergency. If you have a blockage and some of the symptoms described above, the risk of stroke is much higher and surgery should be scheduled in the next few weeks in general. The surgery itself requires an incision on the side of the neck. We then clear out the obstructing material (atherosclerosis) in the carotid artery and then reconstruct it. The operation itself takes about 2-3 hours. On average, patients come in on the day of surgery and go home the following afternoon. You will have to come back 7 days after surgery for staple removal or we will arrange for removal closer to your home by your doctor or a visiting nurse.
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