PHILADELPHIA – Each year, more than 300,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with carotid artery disease.
If left unchecked, it can lead to stroke because tiny pieces of plaque break away and flow to the brain.
Strokes run in Frank Leuzzi's family, so when doctors discovered a 90 percent blockage in his left carotid artery, he became a clinical trial patient for Trans-carotid Artery Revascularization or T-CAR for short.
"We do it completely under local, the patient is completely awake," explained Dr. Paul DiMuzio from Philadelphia's Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.
This groundbreaking procedure eliminates the need to go through the groin. Instead, surgeons use a small clavicle incision to implant the stent and open up blood flow.
Read More: http://wqad.com/2017/09/25/your-health-early-warning-signs-to-prevent-a-stroke/