Carotid Artery Disease

Overview

How strokes may occur

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Mayo Clinic surgeons treat 500 to 600 patients with carotid artery disease each year, using procedures such as endarterectomies or stents to clear blockages. Usually within just a few days, patients with carotid artery disease can consult with Mayo's experienced and highly trained specialists and undergo all needed tests. What might take months to accomplish in other settings can be done in days in Mayo's efficient system.

At Mayo, specialists from Cardiovascular Diseases, Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Radiology and Neuroradiology work as a team to diagnose carotid artery disease and determine the most appropriate treatment for each patient.

Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, is ranked among the Best Hospitals for Neurology, Neurosurgery, Heart and Heart Surgery by U.S. News & World Report.

Diagnosis

Mayo has many diagnostic tools to help clarify and confirm abnormal findings. Carotid ultrasound, computed tomography (CT) angiography of the neck, and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) are the most common tools used to determine if there is significant narrowing of the carotid arteries. Read more about carotid artery disease diagnosis.

Treatment

Mayo Clinic physicians evaluate patients who have a narrowing of the carotid arteries to determine if revascularization (repair of the artery) would be beneficial. Revascularization options include carotid endarterectomy (CEA) or a less-invasive procedure, carotid angioplasty and stenting (CAS). Read more about carotid artery disease treatment options.

• Treatment in Arizona
• Treatment in Florida
• Treatment in Minnesota

About Carotid Artery Disease

Blood carries nutrients and oxygen to the brain through four main arteries: the right carotid, left carotid, right vertebral and left vertebral. The carotid arteries travel between the heart and the brain in the front of the neck. They carry blood to the cerebral cortex, which is responsible for most of a person's day-to-day functioning. Atherosclerosis (also known as hardening of the arteries) occurs when arteries become clogged with fatty deposits. These deposits can severely restrict blood from getting to the brain, or a piece of the atherosclerosis may break off in the bloodstream blood and lodge in an artery "downstream" in the brain. A stroke can occur from either situation.

Approximately 75 percent of people who have a stroke related to carotid artery disease also have a transient ischemic attack (TIA) at some point prior to the stroke. TIA is a temporary neurologic deficit that lasts less than 24 hours. Symptoms can include:

• Sudden weakness, numbness or paralysis in the face, arm or leg, typically on one side of the body
• Slurred or garbled speech or difficulty understanding others
• Sudden blindness in one eye

Symptoms and risk factors, however, often indicate carotid artery disease and should not be ignored.

Read more about stroke and transient ischemic attack at www.MayoClinic.com.