Revolutionary Treatment for Carotid Artery Disease
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with carotid artery disease, you may be exploring treatment options. Transcarotid artery revascularization, also known as TCAR, is a newer procedure that that has revolutionized the way carotid disease is treated. According to Cleveland Clinic, TCAR accounts for approximately 10% of all procedures performed for carotid disease in the United States.1
What is carotid artery disease?
Carotid artery disease occurs when plaque builds up in the carotid arteries, which supply blood to the head. There are two carotid arteries—one on each side of the neck. When someone has carotid artery disease, they may have a blockage in one or both carotid arteries. Without treatment, the condition can worsen and lead to a stroke.
What is TCAR?
Transcarotid artery revascularization is a procedure in which a stent is placed within the carotid artery to alleviate a severe blockage. Unlike prior iterations of carotid stenting, which had the stent travel from the groin and traverse the aortic arch, TCAR allows the stent to be placed directly in your carotid artery through a small incision in your neck. This has been proven to be the safest way to place a carotid stent, decreasing the risk of stroke and allowing for a shorter recovery time.
What happens during a TCAR procedure?
TCAR is performed by a vascular surgeon in an operating room suite. The procedure takes less than two hours.
Patients receive either local or general anesthesia.
A small incision is placed in the neck just above the collarbone.
A tube is inserted through the incision into the carotid artery
To stop the risk of stroke during surgery, the direction of blood flow in your carotid artery is temporarily reversed away from your brain while the blockage is treated.
A stent is placed in the carotid artery, alleviating the severe blockage and allowing unobstructed flow to the brain
How CCVSA Can Help
Dr. Srikant Sivaraman, one of CCVSA’s board-certified vascular surgeons, has a special passion for carotid artery disease. In 2023, Dr. Sivaraman and his team at Swedish Medical Center in Englewood, CO, performed their first TCAR procedure. For more information about the TCAR procedure or to schedule a consultation, contact us today.
1 https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/25150-carotid-revascularization