Vascular Surgical Specialists Tower Health Medical Group 301 South Seventh Avenue, Suite 1070 West Reading, PA 19611 484-628-2468
TCAR TRANSCAROTID ARTERY REVASCULARIZATION
www.towerhealth.org
M1329 6.18 Vascular surgeons at Reading Hospital are using to the brain if dislodged during the procedure. TCAR— a minimally invasive, leading-edge A stent is implanted into the carotid artery to procedure for patients who need carotid artery stabilize plaque and help prevent future strokes. treatment and are high-risk for open surgery. TCAR reduces recovery time and involves less TCAR temporarily reverses blood flow, thus surgical complications. reducing the chance that plaque could travel
What is TCAR? Who are candidates for TCAR? TransCarotid Artery Revascularization (TCAR) is TCAR can be used to treat most cases of carotid a minimally invasive procedure used to address artery disease. It is particularly well-suited carotid artery disease — a buildup of plaque in the for patients who are at high risk of surgical carotid artery, one of two main arteries in the neck complications because of their age, anatomy or that supply blood to the brain. other medical conditions. What is carotid artery disease? What are the benefits of TCAR? Every year, 15 million people worldwide suffer a The benefits of TCAR include: stroke. About one third of strokes are caused by Better outcomes than transfemoral stenting carotid artery disease – the buildup of plaque in one Smaller incision for minimal scarring or both of the arteries in the neck that supply blood Reduced risk of stroke or heart attack from the heart to the brain. Plaque buildup causes during or after the procedure the arteries to narrow and blood flow to slow down. Faster recovery Stroke may occur if blood flow stops or small pieces Shorter hospital stay of plaque break off and travel to the brain. Fewer complications Are there other surgeries, besides TCAR, What happens during TCAR? that treat carotid artery disease? During TCAR, a vascular surgeon creates a small Yes, there are two other surgeries used to address incision just above the collarbone. A catheter is carotid artery disease. Carotid endarterectomy placed in the artery and connects to a system that (CEA), which entails an incision in the neck, removes temporarily directs blood flow away from the brain. the plaque and blockage from the artery during The system filters out any small plaque that may open surgery. Transfemoral carotid artery stenting dislodge from the artery and returns the filtered (CAS) is a minimally invasive procedure in which the blood to a vein in the groin. A stent is placed in physician inserts a stent into the artery through the the carotid artery to hold the plaque in place and, upper thigh. A filter is used during CAS to catch remove the blockage and prevent against future plaque that may dislodge. This type of stenting is stroke. After the stent is inserted, the blood flow is associated with a higher risk of stroke. returned to normal and the system is removed. What can patients expect after surgery? TCAR patients usually are kept in the hospital overnight for observation and typically leave the hospital the day after the procedure. Patients can return to full and productive lives and have a significantly reduced risk of stroke in the future.