Placing a Stent on Carotid Artery

Many treatment methods are applied to minimize the possibility of paralysis and stroke for people with carotid artery occlusion or stenosis. The first of these is anticoagulant and vasodilating drugs recommended by the doctor. However, it can be said that drug therapy may be insufficient after the disease reaches certain levels.

In patients for whom the drug therapy remains insufficient, some interventional treatment practices create an impact on reducing the patient's risk of stroke or paralysis. Thanks to the carotid stenting method, the probability of stroke and paralysis in patients has been significantly reduced. If you wish, you can also consult Assoc. Prof. Dr. İlker Kiriş and get his support. 

How is the Stent Treatment Performed?

Cardiovascular Surgeons, Interventional Cardiologists, or Interventional Radiologists who are experts in their field apply the stent treatment to eliminate severe carotid artery stenosis. Before applying the stent treatment, all necessary tests should be performed on the patient. The first treatment option is carotid artery surgery in patients with stenosis above a certain degree and who require intervention. Nevertheless, stenting could be considered for patients who are at high risk for surgery or who are not suitable for surgery due to such reasons as the anatomical structure of their blood vessel. The carotid stent application is performed in the angiography unit and using an angiography device. To apply the stenting method, the patient will need to be hospitalized.  

The patient will need to be in the hospital at least one day before the procedure. Meanwhile, all the necessary preparations are made. If the patient has kidney failure during the stenting procedure, kidney protective medications are administered beforehand. If the patient has diabetes, the aim is to bring the diabetic rate to the ideal level before the practice. After conducting all the controls and meeting the requirements, the stent insertion process is initiated. After the procedure, the patient is discharged within one to two days. It is possible to argue that the patient returns to his/her routine life after a short time of three days.  

In the initial stage, a catheter with a diameter of 2 millimeters is placed in the artery in the patient's groin region. All processes in the procedure are performed by placing this catheter and monitoring it with an angiography device. During stenting, some filters are used to prevent the plaque particles and clots from breaking off and moving into the brain. Even if filtering looks simple, it is vital for the patient. After the protective filter is attached, a stent is placed on the stenosis region.

Stents are metal cages. Before opening, the catheter (plastic tube) with a diameter of 2 millimeters reaches 7 to 9 millimeters in diameter by stripping off the catheter. Thus, the stent ensures that the vascular stenosis reaches its normal level. Assoc. Prof. Dr. İlker Kiriş assists in everything from examination procedures to the completion of the treatment process. You can contact our doctor who serves in Izmir province.

Are There Any Risks Involved in the Stent Treatment?

Stent treatment, applied in cases of occlusion or stenosis of the neck vessels, is a procedure with low risks when performed by experienced doctors. In addition to the clot protectors, the risk ratio is below 1% in stenting placed by taking all necessary precautions. The most critical risk in the process is the clot complication that will escape into the brain. Therefore, these complication risks require to be minimized by using a filter. It is possible to say that the risk is reduced to a great extent when using the filter.

After the Stenting Method

The condition of the stent in neck veins is checked by Doppler ultrasonography in three months and by a CTA (Computed Tomography - Angiography) analysis in six months. The patient is followed up with ultrasonography every six months. These checks carried out by us prevent the recurrence of the disease in our patients. The aim is to try to control the aftermath of the disease. The risk factors such as smoking, a high blood pressure, diabetic imbalance, cholesterol, and excessive alcohol consumption trigger vascular occlusion-stenosis in the neck region.

For this reason, the patient's cholesterol, diabetes, and blood pressure levels must be constantly kept under control after the application, and intervention must be conducted immediately in case of a possible problem. Our doctor supports you before and after the application. All the necessary precautions are taken to recover the disease healthily way. Stent application is performed by investigating the adverse events and risk factors in detail.