A narrowed carotid artery is typically treated with a carotid endarterectomy, which enables doctors to open or clean the artery and reduce the risk of stroke. If the blockage is higher up in the neck than the usual patient with carotid disease, however, the risk of stroke during the procedure increases.
An innovative procedure, now being performed at the Hartford HealthCare Heart & Vascular Institute, actually reverses the blood flow briefly to reduce the risk of stroke.
Dr.Thomas Divinagracia, chief of vascular surgery at the Heart & Vascular Institute at Hartford Hospital, has more details on the procedure, called TransCarotid Artery Revascularization, or TCAR:
For more information on the Hartford HealthCare Heart & Vascular Institute and carotid artery disease, click here.