PHOENIX — A procedure being used in some Arizona hospitals can lower the risk of stroke or heart attack for patients with carotid artery disease.
Transcarotid Artery Revascularization, or TCAR, uses a small incision in the neck and a thin wire to treat blockages and get patients on the road to recovery quickly.
“(TCAR) avoids the arch of the aorta, which can be very tortuous,” Dr. Venkatesh Ramaiah, a vascular surgeon at Abrazo Arizona Heart Hospital, said.
The old way of treating blockages in patients — going through the groin and crossing an artery with a wire — was dangerous in the best of circumstances.
Read More: http://ktar.com/story/1933576/procedure-lowers-stroke-heart-attack-risk-for-some-at-arizona-hospitals/