Carotid Endarterectomy

Excerpt

A build-up of plaque in the carotid artery can lead to atherosclerosis and stenosis of the artery, which may or may not be symptomatic clinically. Such carotid artery disease increases a person’s risk for cerebrovascular disease and stroke. Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is a surgery performed to decrease the risk of stroke in a patient with known cerebrovascular atherosclerotic disease. The procedure entails removing plaque from the common carotid artery and/or internal carotid artery to improve blood flow and remove potential embolic material, restoring more normal cerebral blood flow. Carotid artery reconstructions began in the early 1950s, and techniques for carotid endarterectomy procedures, as well as indications to perform them, have evolved.