TREATMENT
ARIZONA HEART INSTITUTE
Carotid Stent-Supported Angioplasty
Stroke is the third most common cause of death in the United States. About 500,000 new strokes occur each year of which 60% are due to obstructive carotid artery disease. Historically, the treatments for obstructive carotid artery disease have been carotid endarterectomy and medical management. The carotid endarterectomy has become the preferred treatment as this procedure has proven to drastically reduce stroke rates over medical management alone.
However, endarterectomy has many limitations, particularly in patients with other medical conditions. The procedure usually requires general anesthesia, is limited in its applications, and can result in cranial nerve palsies. So where else can patients and physicians turn for treatment of obstructive carotid artery disease?
Research is currently underway worldwide to evaluate the feasibility of carotid stent supported angioplasty. The Arizona Heart Institute is one of seven centers in the United States that offer the carotid stent procedure as an alternative to endarterectomy and is conducting carotid stent research to help make this technology available to more physicians in the future.
Click here for information on current stroke prevention research studies.
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The information presented in this site should not replace the medical advice of your physician. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat any disease without first consulting with your physician or other healthcare provider.
