Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States according to the American Stroke Association. Most strokes are caused by a buildup of plaque that cause blockages in the brain, and how quickly you receive treatment plays a large part in your ability to recover.
CTVS board certified vascular surgeon Dr. Mazin Foteh was recently featured in a story on KXAN about a newer, less invasive procedure that can prevent a stroke from happening in patients that have a known blockage.
TransCarotid Artery Revascularization, or TCAR, allows surgeons to access the carotid artery through a small incision just above the collar bone. The device briefly reverses the direction of blood flow away from the brain while the physician places a stent in the carotid artery. The stent allows the carotid artery to function normally and the blood flow reverses back to its regular direction toward the brain.
“Preferably we do this operation before someone has a stroke,” Dr. Foteh explains. “If we identify a blockage in the carotid artery that is significant, we do the procedure that then fore prevents the stroke in the future.”
TCAR offers patients a quicker recovery and according to Dr. Foteh, the overall risk of stroke from the TCAR operation is less than any other procedure vascular surgeons can offer patients.
For questions about any of our vascular services, please visit ctvstexas.com or call us at (512) 459-8753 to schedule an appointment.
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