Patients with carotid artery disease who are at high risk for stroke now have a new treatment option available at Medical City Denton. Medical City Denton is the only hospital in Denton County to offer Transcarotid Artery Revascularization (TCAR), a minimally invasive treatment option to reduce the risk of stroke for some patients with carotid artery disease.
The TCAR procedure is designed to reduce stroke risk when a patient is receiving a stent to treat severe heart blockages. The procedure reverses blood flow away from the brain while the physician places the stent, protecting the brain from fragments of artery plaque released during the process. Those fragments have the potential of travelling through the bloodstream to the brain and causing a stroke. Blood flow is returned to normal after the procedure, and brain function is not affected.
"This minimally invasive option for treating carotid artery disease is great for patients who are at high risk of a stroke," said Carlos Cruz, MD, a vascular surgeon and chairman of the department of surgery at Medical City Denton. "It has been proven to reduce the risk of stroke for high-risk populations undergoing treatment for carotid artery disease."
Patients can learn more about heart and vascular services at Medical City Denton or take a free heart risk assessment at Medical City Denton Heart.