Varicose veins Thread veins Foam sclerotherapy Sweating Hyperhidrosis Botox
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In this context, a stroke is caused by a blockage in an artery supplying part of the brain or eye. The resulting symptoms may include weakness of the arm or leg, slurred speech, or loss of vision in one eye. The symptoms may resolve within 24 hrs (transient ischaemic attack, TIA or mini-stroke) or last much longer. Those who have high blood pressure, diabetics and smokers are particularly at risk. The cause of the blockage in the artery is a small clot that has travelled to the brain from a narrowed artery in the neck (carotid artery). If this narrowing is shown to be tight, surgery may be the best way of reducing the risk of further strokes.
How do I know if an operation could help me? Your general practitioner or stroke specialist may have peformed certain preliminary tests which may prompt them to refer you to a Vascular Surgeon. To find out if a significant narrowing (stenosis) is present in your carotid arteries, an ultrasound scan (Duplex scan) of your neck will be performed. If the stenosis is tight enough, an operation may be advised to decrease the risk of a major stroke
What is involved in the operation The operation may be performed under either a general or local anaesthetic. In the former you are kept asleep and unaware. In the latter you are fully awake, but your neck is anaethetised to prevent you feeling the operation. There are some theoretical advantages to the local technique. Patients are usually fit enough to go home a day or two after surgery. Some bruising and numbness around the neck wound should be expected. Although there is a risk of stroke during the operation, this risk is about 2 in 100 and is much lower than the risk of stroke without surgery.
Carotid stenting This is a method of treating carotid stenosis without an operation. It still carries the risk of a stroke, but avoids the need for a neck wound and is done through a puncture wound in the groin. This technique is practised in some UK centres but has not gained universal acceptance among the majority of Vascular Surgeons. Trials are in progress to compare surgery with stenting. | |||||||||||
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 | The carotid vessels (shown in red) in the right side of the neck |  | |||||||||
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Varicose veins Thread veins Foam sclerotherapy Sweating Hyperhidrosis Botox
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