The carotid arteries carry blood to the head.
When there’s a narrowing of these arteries it can affect the blood supply to the brain, which can cause a blood clot to develop. This clot can travel towards your brain leading to a stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA or “mini-stroke”).
TIAs can serve as warning signs of a major stroke. About one-third of TIAs are followed by a stroke in the following year. Following a stroke or TIA patients have a scan of the arteries in the neck.
If this shows that there is a significant narrowing (more than 50%), this can be treated by performing an operation to reduce the risk of a further stroke. The operation is called a carotid endarterectomy.
The narrowing in the artery is removed to give a smooth surface, preventing further clots (emboli) which may cause a stroke. The procedure involves a cut in the neck over the artery and takes around two hours to do.
An alternative for some patients is a carotid stent. This is a keyhole procedure normally done via the artery in the groin.
We are one of the few centres in the UK to offer this procedure, and the only centre in the North East.
