Re: carotid artery blockage

Posted By margot on June 16, 1999 at 12:31:41
My father-in-law has a 100% occluded carotid artery. He is 77 and in otherwise good health, although has had several "episodes" (light-headed, and some brief aphasia) one of which was probably a small stroke. He has been told that since the blockage is 100% it is standard procedure to NOT do the surgery. Should he get a second opinion?
thank you.

[Cleveland Clinic, MD]

Posted By CCF CARDIO MD - CRC on June 16, 1999 at 16:25:09
Dear Margot,
Thank you for your question.  You are correct that surgery is not recommended for 100% occluded arteries.  The rational is that it is already closed and the area it used to supply has new blood flow from elsewhere.
I hope you find this information useful.  Information provided in the heart forum is for general purposes only.  Only your physician can provide specific diagnoses and therapies.  Please feel free to write back with additional questions.
If you would like to make an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, please call 1-800-CCF-CARE or inquire online by using the Heart Center website at www.ccf.org/heartcenter.  The Heart Center website contains a directory of the cardiology staff that can be used to select the physician best suited to address your cardiac problem.

[kd__0__0]

Posted By kd on June 16, 1999 at 20:44:46

This may seem to be a very stupid question but after having seen so many inquiries from people with 100% occlusions and 95% occlusions, I wonder why the doctors don't let people just go on to the 100% without doing surgey.  I underwent an endartarectomy which put in a gortex graft from aorta to carotid bifurcation.  Within a month or so it was completely occluded.  There is retrograde flow from the external into the internal.  Who knows where the external flow is coming from.
I am glad I had the surgery because a lot of other things that the docs didn't think had to do with the carotids did clear up but I wonder why surgery is recommended when the natural progression is to 100% and the docs say that is fine.











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[pepper330]

A related discussion, carotid artery disease treatment was started.