About Carotid Stenting
This information is intended for general information only and should not be considered as medical advice on the part of Health-Tourism.com. Any decision on medical treatments, after-care or recovery should be done solely upon proper consultation and advice of a qualified physician.
What is Carotid Stenting?
Carotid artery stenting describes a procedure in which your surgeon inserts into your body a slimline, metal-mesh tube, called a stent, which expands inside your carotid artery to improve blood flow in areas blocked by plaque.
Where does the procedure take place?
Normally, the procedure is performed in an angiography suite or catheterization lab.
Who performs the Carotid Stenting procedure?
The procedure is carried out by a specially-trained vascular invasive physician or vascular surgeon, nurses and technicians.
How can you prepare for the procedure?
In most cases, your physician will tell you to take aspirin and a prescription medication that prevents clots for 3 to 5 days before the procedure.
You should also fast for six hours before your procedure.
Duration of procedure/surgery : Carotid stenting normally takes between 1-2 hours, but in certain cases it may take longer.
Days admitted : Your hospital stay will probably be between 1-3 days.
Recovery : Your physician may probably instruct you not to lift anything too heavy after you return home, so as to avoid putting undue pressure on the incision.
You may also be informed not to take a bath for a few days (showers are normally fine), and to drink plenty of water to help flush out any remnant of the dye out of your system.
You will be advised to take blood thinning medications and also be scheduled for periodic follow-up examinations, to include carotid ultrasound examinations, to check on the function of your stent over a set period of time.
Risks : There are many factors that need to be taken into consideration. The risks are much dependent upon the severity of your disease, the location of the blockage, whether you’ve ever had a stroke before and the presence of other existing medical conditions.
Possible risks include:
- Irregular heart rhythm
- Allergic reaction to the medication or dye used during the procedure
- Bleeding at the catheter insertion site
- Stroke or death
After care : To prevent hardening of the arteries from happening again, you should think about the following aftercare changes:
- Eat more foods low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and calories
- Exercise regularly, aerobic exercises such as walking
- Control and maintain your ideal body weight
- Stop smoking
- Follow any advise from your physician in regards to taking medications to control cholesterol and to thin the blood
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