Why is this procedure done?
Sometimes, blood vessels in your body may become partly or fully blocked. This is called atherosclerosis. There is a buildup of a fatty material called plaque. You may have problems getting blood flow to parts of your body if these blood vessels are blocked. Sometimes, small pieces of the fatty material break off. This may cause a stroke. ‚
Doctors can do a procedure to remove the plaque buildup from the blood vessels. It is an endarterectomy. This procedure is most often done on major blood vessels. These are the ones that supply blood to the brain, legs, kidneys, and the rest of the body. ‚
View OriginalView Original
What will the results be?
- Better blood flow
- Lower risk of stroke
- Improved signs of reduced blood flow
What happens before the procedure?
- Your doctor will take your history. Talk to the doctor about:
- All the drugs you are taking. Be sure to include all prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, and herbal supplements. Tell the doctor about any drug allergy. Bring a list of drugs you take with you.
- Any bleeding problems. Be sure to tell your doctor if you are taking any drugs that may cause bleeding. Some of these are Coumadin ‚ ®, ibuprofen, Aleve ‚ ® (naproxen), or aspirin. Certain vitamins and herbs, such as garlic and fish oil, may also add to the risk for bleeding. You may need to stop these drugs as well. Talk to your doctor about them.
- When you need to stop eating or drinking before your procedure.
- Your doctor will do an exam and may order:
- Lab tests
- Ultrasound
- Angiogram
- CT angiogram
- You will not be allowed to drive right away after the procedure. Ask a family member or a friend to drive you home.
What happens during the procedure?
- Once you are in the operating room, you will be given a drug to make you sleepy. It will also help you stay pain free during the surgery. The staff will put an I.V. in your arm to give you fluids and drugs. Sometimes, the doctor will give you a special drug to make you numb for the surgery. Other times, you are fully asleep. This depends on the location of the artery that will undergo the procedure.
- The doctor will cut the skin and locate the blocked artery.
- The doctor will put a clamp on both ends of the blocked artery to stop the blood flow.
- The doctor will cut the artery open and remove the plaque using a special tool. The doctor will carefully clean the inside of the artery to confirm that all the plaque has been removed. The doctor will close the artery with stitches.
- Your doctor may use an artificial graft or part of some other blood vessel to replace the blocked area.
- Your doctor will close your cut with stitches or staples and cover it with clean bandages.
- The procedure takes about 2 to 4 hours.
What happens after the procedure?
- You will go to the Recovery Room and the staff will watch you closely. You may have to stay in the hospital for 1 to 2 days.
- You will feel pain after the surgery. The staff will give you drugs to help the pain.
- Within a day or two, you will get out of bed to a chair. The staff will help you begin to walk around. Doing coughing and deep breathing exercises will help keep your lungs clear.
What care is needed at home?
- Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do.
- Talk to your doctor about how to care for your cut site. Ask your doctor about:
- When you should change your bandages.
- When you may take a bath or shower. Do not scrub your cut site.
- If you need to be careful with lifting things over 10 pounds.
- When you may go back to your normal activities like work, driving, or sex.
- Always wash your hands before and after touching the wound or your dressing.
What follow-up care is needed?
- Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep these visits.
- If you have stitches or staples, you will need to have them taken out. Your doctor will often want to do this in 1 to 2 weeks.
- Your doctor will tell you if you need to see a specialist like a cardiologist or rehab specialist.
What lifestyle changes are needed?
- Control your cholesterol level, blood pressure, and blood sugar.
- Do not drink beer, wine, and mixed drinks (alcohol).
- If you smoke, quit smoking.
- Keep a healthy weight.
What problems could happen?
- Blood clots
- Bleeding
- Infection
- Plaque build-up
- Nerve injury
- Stroke
When do I need to call the doctor?
Activate the emergency medical system right away if you have signs of stroke. Call 911 in the United States or Canada. The sooner treatment begins, the better your chances for recovery. Call for emergency help right away if you have: ‚
- Signs of stroke:
- Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body
- Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
- Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
- Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
- Sudden severe headache with no known cause
Call your doctor if you have: ‚
- Signs of infection. These include a fever of 100.4 ‚ °F (38 ‚ °C) or higher, chills, wound that will not heal.
- Signs of wound infection. These include swelling, redness, warmth around the wound; too much pain when touched; yellowish, greenish, or bloody discharge; foul smell coming from the cut site; cut site opens up.
- Sudden changes in your vision, including loss of vision in one eye
- Trouble speaking, breathing, and swallowing
Where can I learn more?
National Heart Lung and Blood Institute ‚
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/carend/ ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
Copyright
Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚