Feeling nervous about your carotid stent procedure is completely normal. But knowing what to expect can help ease your anxiety and prepare you for getting a stent that opens arterial blockages and improves blood flow.
Our team at Vascular Specialists explains the process to you during your preoperative appointments, and we’re more than happy to answer all of your questions in detail. Here’s more information about carotid stenting and what you can expect during your procedure.
We’re big proponents when it comes to education. It’s why Dr. Eugene Tanquilut creates educational videos about our procedures for patients. Sometimes just learning more about your upcoming procedure is enough to help you feel less nervous about it.
Before your carotid stent procedure, your Vascular Specialists provider performs a thorough examination, including imaging tests to assess the condition of your carotid arteries, the major arteries that bring blood and oxygen to your neck, face, and brain.
You receive detailed instructions on how to prepare, such as fasting and adjusting any medications you’re currently taking if your doctor directs you to do so.
On the day of the procedure, you receive a local anesthetic to numb the area, and you may also receive a sedative to help you relax.
Our team employs minimally invasive techniques when possible. Your Vascular Specialists surgeon makes a small incision in your groin to access your carotid artery. Using imaging guidance, they insert a catheter, a special filter, and a deflated medical balloon. You won’t feel any of these items moving throughout your arteries because your artery walls don’t have nerve endings.
Once the catheter reaches the narrowed area of your carotid artery, our team sets up the filter to catch any arterial plaque that may come loose, inflates the balloon to open up the narrowed artery, and places a tiny wire mesh tube to keep your artery open.
When the stent is securely in place, we remove the medical-grade balloon and the filter. The mesh remains, and with your artery open, proper blood flow is restored.
This procedure requires no stitches.
After you receive your stent, our team monitors you in the recovery area, checking your vital signs and ensuring that there are no complications. You need to lie flat for a few hours to prevent bleeding from the incision site.
You may feel sore at the access site, but this is normal and should subside in a few days.
Once you’re home, follow your post-procedure instructions. This includes taking prescribed medications, avoiding strenuous activities, and attending follow-up appointments.
The primary goal of a carotid artery stent is to prevent a stroke. You can continue to adopt artery-friendly lifestyle habits to further reduce your risk of having a stroke. This includes regular exercise when you’re cleared for it, eating a heart-friendly diet, and avoiding smoking.
Focus on your “why.” Sometimes just thinking about the reason behind a major procedure can help ease the jitters: There’s a lot of good that comes out of a carotid stent procedure.
You may need a carotid stent to open up narrowed or blocked carotid arteries, which then restores proper blood flow to your brain and reduces your risk of stroke.
You may need this stent if you have carotid artery disease with clogged arteries that could lead to a stroke in the future.
In addition to learning as much as you can about the procedure to ease the fear of the unknown and focusing on the benefits of the procedure, it might help to try:
If you have questions about your upcoming appointment or are concerned about carotid artery disease, call 815-824-4406 to reach either of our locations — Munster, Indiana, or Tinley Park, Illinois — or use our online booking tool to get started.
