What is carotid stenting?
Carotid stenting is a type of angioplasty and stenting performed on a carotid artery. You have two of these large arteries in your neck, which are important for delivering blood to your head and brain.
Placing stents in a carotid artery opens it up to allow your blood to circulate properly above your neck. Stents are wire mesh tubes that expand inside the carotid artery to hold it open long-term
Why do you need carotid stents?
Stents are used to treat carotid artery disease — also known as carotid artery stenosis. Plaque builds up on the walls of the main arteries of your neck. Over time, enough plaque collects to cause a blockage or a narrowing of your artery. This is particularly dangerous because it restricts blood flow to your brain, causing permanent damage to your brain cells. Plaque can also break free from the carotid artery and get lodged somewhere in your brain, leading to a stroke.
Carotid artery disease happens gradually as you age, increasing your risk of stroke along the way. There are a variety of other conditions and lifestyle choices that can contribute to carotid artery stenosis or make it more severe, including:
- Smoking
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- High cholesterol
- Hypertension
- Sedentary lifestyle
What are the risks of carotid stent placement?
Stenting is a much less invasive procedure than surgeries to remove blockages in your carotid arteries. While the risks are lower, they are still higher than with other angioplasty stenting procedures because of the importance of the arteries and their proximity to your brain.
Some bleeding may occur at the site where the catheter is inserted. Stroke and death are risks in severe cases, although your risk of each is far greater if you don’t treat the blocked artery.
The specific location of the blockage, the severity of your carotid artery stenosis and your medical history all go into your individual risk assessment. Your vascular surgeon will help you understand the risks and benefits of the stenting procedure based on your condition.
How do you get ready for carotid stenting?
Quick treatment is critical when it comes to your carotid artery, so there may not be a lot of time to prepare in between your diagnosis and procedure. You may have to take medicine to thin the blood and reduce the risk of clotting for a few days before the stent is placed. You’ll also have specific instructions on what you can eat and drink leading up to the procedure.
Once at the hospital, carotid stenting is rather quick and painless. You will be sedated, possibly even awake throughout your procedure. A small catheter will run from an incision in your arm or leg, through your aorta and into the carotid artery to place the stent.
What should I expect after a carotid stenting procedure?
Carotid stenting is a much less invasive procedure than surgeries to remove blockages in your carotid arteries. So your recovery time is greatly reduced. After your procedure, you’ll stay overnight in the hospital for monitoring purposes. Upon discharge, you’ll typically recover and resume normal — although restricted — activities within a week. You’ll likely continue with blood-thinning medication for another several weeks to prevent clots from forming around the stent.
Once healed, the greatest benefit of carotid stenting is the one you don’t see: a drastically-reduced risk of stroke, disability and death. For this reason, carotid stent placement is a potentially life-saving procedure.