Arteries supply blood rich in oxygen to the body; if the arteries supplying blood to the brain have a blockage, the person is at high risk for a stroke. Carotid stenting is a procedure where a surgeon uses a metal mesh tube, known as a stent, which widens the narrowed artery and increases the blood flow.
If you have been diagnosed with a coronary artery block, and the doctor has advised implanting a carotid stent, you can get a stent implanted from Evergreen Park carotid stenting specialists. They have vascular specialists who perform this procedure with accuracy and have great experience in this field.
Requirement of carotid stent?
Atherosclerosis or accumulation of fat inside arteries leads to plaque formation, high levels of cholesterol and calcium, which deposits around the walls of arteries and makes them narrow. Sometimes the blockage leads to an ischemic heart attack. However, if the patient’s condition does not get better by medications or lifestyle changes, they go for carotid stenting. The procedure is best suited for patients with heart problems or patients having diabetes.
Carotid stenting procedure?
The patient must be provided with local anesthesia, and an x-ray is taken for coronary arteries. At the time of the procedure, the doctor inserts a tube inside the artery. The doctor then inserts a catheter along the line and guides the catheter having a balloon tip through the line to the affected part of the artery with the help of imaging.
The tip of the balloon gets filled to clear the area, and the remaining clogged artery gets filtered. Then the stent is placed in its position by the tube in a newly opened vessel. The doctor then removes the balloon catheter and filter tube, leaving the stent in the artery to avoid any future vessel narrowing. The surgery generally takes 2-3 hours or more in different circumstances.
The patient does not require any sutures; a small tiny patch to cover the incision is sufficient. After the treatment, the doctor instructs the patient to remain in a sleeping position to avoid any further blood loss from the incision. The patient has to avoid any heavy or extreme activity for a couple of days.
Can carotid stenting fail?
Embolism or blockage by remaining debris in the artery is a serious complication that leads to stroke.
Another reason might be the formation of blood in the place of the stent or tear of the wall. Restenosis, also called re-blockage, might be a severe complication. Bleeding might happen from the incision site, which leads to a severe hematoma or an aneurysm.
Although carotid stenting might clear the artery, it cannot stop plaque formation, so one must have a good diet, eat green vegetables, exercise, quit smoking, and follow your doctor’s advice and medications.
