This procedure improves blood flow in a neck artery that's clogged with plaque. You have two carotid arteries, one on each side of your neck. They supply blood to your brain. When blood can't get through these arteries, you can have a stroke.
To begin, we give you medicine to make you feel relaxed. To get to the blocked artery, we enter through an artery in your groin or arm. Often we choose the femoral artery. We make a small opening in this artery and protect it with a sheath.
Then, we push a catheter into it. With the help of a video x-ray device called a "fluoroscope" we guide the catheter to your carotid artery. We inject a contrast material through the catheter to give us a better view.
To treat the narrowing, we first put a filter just beyond the plaque. It catches any pieces of plaque that break off. Then, we push a balloon-tipped catheter into it. We inflate the catheter's balloon to press against the plaque and widen the artery.
If your artery is at risk for narrowing again, we place a stent inside it. The stent is a small mesh tube that expands. It holds open the walls of your artery. It stays in your artery permanently.
When the procedure is done, we remove the filter, catheter and sheath. A small bandage is placed on your skin. You're watched in a recovery room as the medicine wears off. Follow your care plan for a safe recovery.