The carotid arteries are the main blood vessels to the brain. If these arteries develop a build-up of plaque caused by atherosclerosis, or "hardening of the arteries," blood flow to the brain is impaired. A severe plaque build-up may result in a stroke.
Diagnosis
Vascular specialists usually diagnose carotid artery disease using ultrasound, or other non-invasive outpatient exams.
Stroke Prevention
To prevent stroke, many patients with severe plaque benefit from surgical reconstruction of the carotid artery with an operation called carotid endarterectomy. We can perform this surgery through a small neck incision, in some cases under local anesthesia. Angioplasty and stenting of carotid artery disease is a rapidly emerging new alternative to carotid endarterectomy for high risk patients.