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Home > Medical Professionals > SVS Vascular Health Podcasts > Carotid Arterial Disease

Carotid Arterial Disease

This series of podcasts is a resource for vascular specialists and other health care professionals. The podcasts are available in two file formats - Windows Media  (WMV) and Quicktime video (MOV). 

To play the podcasts from this Web site, simply click on the links below (WMV or MOV). The MOV files are much larger and take longer to download; you may want to download the MOV files directly to your computer prior to playing. 

To download the files to your computer:

1. Right-click over the link and select "Save Target As"
2. Choose the file location on your computer to store the file
3. Double-click the file to view through your computer, or drag into your portable player's software (such as iTunes)

Carotid Artery Stenting: What Is Its Role?

WMV | MOV
Stroke is the third most common cause of death in the United States and carotid artery disease is the most common cause of stroke. In recent years, carotid stenting has become an alternative for patients who are high risks for surgery. Carotid stenting is a procedure in which a stent is delivered and expanded inside the carotid artery to increase blood flow in the area blocked by plaque.

Contraindications for Carotid Stenting

WMV | MOV
The role of carotid stenting in the treatment of carotid artery disease remains murky. A recent SVS Clinical Practice guideline published in the Journal of Vascular Surgery® in August 2008 recommends against carotid stenting in all but the most limited situations: that is, the symptomatic patient with high grade stenosis and predicted high perioperative risk based primarily on surgical or anatomic complexity.

Options for Management of Carotid Restenosis

WMV | MOV
The basis for the treatment of extracranial cerebrovascular occlusive disease is prevention of stroke. Surgical or endovascular intervention for these lesions is warranted if it is determined that they provide a safe and more effective treatment than best medical therapy alone.

Who Should be Screened for Carotid Disease?

WMV | MOV
The duplex ultrasound scan that is used to screen patients for carotid stenosis is a pain-free outpatient test that is easy to perform and reliable in most non-invasive laboratories especially if the laboratory is ICAVL approved. The test is performed in under an hour and consists of placing gel on your neck and having the technician image your carotid arteries and measure their flow as well as taking pictures of the arteries themselves.

Carotid Endarterectomy

WMV | MOV
In the United States more than 750,000 individuals have a stroke each year. To put this into perspective, there are more new strokes than cancers of the breast, prostate and colon combined. 
Although there are multiple causes of stroke, disease of the carotid artery, the major blood supply to the brain, is responsible for 40 percent of all strokes.

Referring Patients for Carotid Surgery

WMV | MOV
Individuals with carotid artery disease are generally thought about in two broad categories: those who have experienced neurological symptoms and those who have never had a neurological event. This podcast discusses the symptoms of each and when patients should be referred to a vascular surgeon.

Carotid Artery Stenting

WMV | MOV
Carotid artery stenting has emerged as an exciting treatment option for carotid arteries stenosis. From the 1950s when carotid surgery was first introduced, carotid endarterectomy has emerged as a well-supported and well-documented therapy to reduce strokes related to carotid arteries stenosis. As our population has aged and technological advances have occurred, miniaturization for correction of the carotid artery stenosis is now offered through carotid artery stenting.

Additional Topics
 

Vascular Specialty Topics | Vascular Residency Topics | Peripheral Arterial Disease | Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
Carotid Arterial Disease | Varicose Veins | Deep Vein Thrombosis | Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms
Vascular Disease Treatments | Penetrating Ulcers of the Aorta | Podcast Home Page