Treatment of Carotid Artery Stenosis in the neck with stents
Carotid Artery Stenosis can occur as a result of the plaque buildup in the arteries, which causes low blood pressure in the carotid artery and blood flow shortage through it, which can lead to clots or strokes. As the person gets older, the risk of carotid artery stenosis increases.
How does the carotid artery stenosis happen?
In normal cases, the carotid artery wall is smooth, but with the start of the accumulation of plaque that forms from cholesterol, excess lipids in the blood and fibre of the connective tissue, the higher the risk of narrowing the artery, causing disturbances in the blood supply to the brain and then strokes.
In some other cases, the artery may develop some clots or a large clot; Which impedes blood access to the brain as well. Sometimes blood flow may stop completely, which eventually also leads to stroke that may lead to death.
Symptoms of Carotid Arterial Diseases:
Symptoms of carotid artery disease and how they appear in the case of injury vary, as:
- In the first phase the patient may not suffer from any symptoms of a stroke.
- Sometimes the patient may feel numb or severely weak which may last for a short period in the body, especially in legs and arms, and a person may lose control of his limbs or the ability to talk elaborately, and these symptoms may disappear completely suddenly.
- Aneurysm of the carotid artery may occur as a result of weakness in the artery walls and pressure due to high blood pressure; This leads to a rupture, which can cause fatal bleeding within the brain as well, and in this case, the patient can feel some symptoms such as headache or pain.
- In cases of artery rupture the symptoms are very acute and the headache suddenly appears and begins to increase. The patient then develops vomiting, nausea and prolonged unconsciousness or mental disorders. If this situation is not controlled, the patient's death ends up.
Symptoms requiring rapid testing:
- Sudden Numbness in the face or weakness of the limbs, often on one side of the body.
- Inability to move one or more limbs.
- Difficulty speaking and understanding.
- Sudden difficulty in sight in one or both eyes.
- Dizziness and loss of balance.
- Sudden and severe headaches, without a known reason.
Diagnosis of Carotid Artery Stenosis:
The diagnosis of carotid artery disease is based on the doctor's knowledge of the pathological history of the condition and measurement of blood pressure and its development, and the patient undergoes an ultrasound or CT scan to get a very accurate picture of the arteries and to study all the changes that have happened.
Treatment of Carotid Artery Stenosis:
Treatment depends directly on the extent of stenosis and how hard it is, or the extent of the injury, along with the patient's general state of health.
In the case of advanced stage carotid artery diseases, there is no option other than to undergo surgical treatment, to remove accumulations inside the artery, eradicate small sclerosis or replace the part that suffers from damage with artificial blood vessels to allow blood to continue flowing into the brain, or undergo carotid artery treatment in the neck with stents.
Preparation for the Treatment of Carotid Artery Stenosis with Stents:
Dr. Waleed El-Daly gives the patient several medications that will help to increase the fluidity and flow of blood to reduce its coagulation. The patient also undergoes many tests such as ultrasound, CT imaging, MRIs and determining the speed of blood flow in cerebral vessels, cavity diameter and other parameters of cerebral circulation.
Some cases are not recommended for Carotid Artery Stents:
- Arrhythmia.
- Allergies to medications used during the procedure.
- Brain hemorrhage.
- Complete clogging of the carotid artery.
Risk factors that may cause complications if Carotid Artery Stents are used:
- Hypertensive patients.
- Sharp bends or other anatomical features of the carotid artery; This leads to difficulties in placing stents.
- The presence of large deposits in the arteries.
- Patients over 80 years of age.
- Blockage of blood vessels associated with the hands and feet.
How are the Stents placed in the Carotid Artery?
- The process is done by inserting the catheter to reach the place of blockage to expand the artery through the balloon that is inflated inside the artery.
- The stent will then begin to be placed to help the artery cavity stay open and not close again. In some cases, the patient may need more than one stent.
- Eventually, the catheter is pulled and keeps the stent.
- The whole process takes an average of 1-2 hours, sometimes more.
- The patient stays under observation for several hours, to ensure that there are no complications, and the doctor advises to start taking drugs that increase the fluidity of the blood.
Lifestyle for the prevention of carotid artery diseases:
Prevention of carotid artery disease is very important in preventing and delaying sclerosis or stroke in case of risk factors in the patient, including:
- Completely stop smoking or drinking.
- Ensure daily exercise to burn fat.
- Healthy diet with careful weight and fat ratio monitoring, especially for obese patients.
- In the case of sclerosis and detection at the beginning, care is taken to follow the doctor's instructions and treatment, as well as taking all the measures so that the disease will not happen again.
- Completely avoid fatty or high cholesterol and calorie foods.
- Monitoring blood pressure, especially for patients with high blood pressure or prone to clots and taking medications that help increase blood fluidity and prevent clotting. This should be under the supervision of a doctor.
- Treatment of arterial hypertension is another important preventive measure, as it directly affects the carotid arteries.
The Best Doctor to Treat the Carotid Artery in the Neck with Stents:
Dr. Waleed El-Daly is an Professor of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery at Cairo University, the best in Egypt and the Arab country. He is specialized in leg arteries and treating foot gangrene with the latest scientific methods and the latest stents.
