Dazed and confused - Stroke Message Board

mandy5149 · 02-15-2004, 02:43 PM

My husband had a stroke in November and a second one just a week ago. He has 80% carotid blockage on the left and and 100% on the right. The doctor is recommending surgery to clear the left one and says the right one is inoperable. This all sounds so risky to me. Can he survive this surgery (endarterctomy). Has anyone been through this surgery when the other carotid artery is totally blocked? Need encouragement.

rexington2000 · 02-15-2004, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mandy5149

My husband had a stroke in November and a second one just a week ago. He has 80% carotid blockage on the left and and 100% on the right. The doctor is recommending surgery to clear the left one and says the right one is inoperable. This all sounds so risky to me. Can he survive this surgery (endarterctomy). Has anyone been through this surgery when the other carotid artery is totally blocked? Need encouragement.

Hi Mandy,

Based on this limited information, your husband is at VERY HIGH RISK for having another, and possibly fatal, stroke. The recommendation that you received is correct. Current medical literature shows very few contraindications to this surgery if done as follows 1. The surgery should be done under local anesthesia 2. The surgeon must be an expert at this surgery and have a verifiable complication rate of less than 3%.

It is riskier for him not to have this procedure if done under the proper conditions with the proper safeguards. Check the surgeons qualifications THOROUGHLY!!

mandy5149 · 02-15-2004, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rexington2000

Hi Mandy,

Based on this limited information, your husband is at VERY HIGH RISK for having another, and possibly fatal, stroke. The recommendation that you received is correct. Current medical literature shows very few contraindications to this surgery if done as follows 1. The surgery should be done under local anesthesia 2. The surgeon must be an expert at this surgery and have a verifiable complication rate of less than 3%.

It is riskier for him not to have this procedure if done under the proper conditions with the proper safeguards. Check the surgeons qualifications THOROUGHLY!!

Thank you for that! By the way he is only 58 years old and I tend to feel that surgery is his ONLY option at this point. I was just hoping someone would tell me that they knew someone who survived this situation. The surgeon has an excellent reputation but I hadn't thought to ask about the complication rate, which I will do. We have to wait 6 weeks post-stroke before the doctor will consider doing the surgery. Thanks for that suggestion as well.

rexington2000 · 02-16-2004, 03:11 PM

Mandy,

You are making a good decision. When reviewing a surgeons qualifications make sure you KNOW how many of the se operations he does per year, i.e. verify it with the hospital, and also verify his complication rate. Carotid Endarterectomy is very safe when done by an experienced surgeon. Good Luck! Let me know if you have more questions.

mandy5149 · 02-16-2004, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rexington2000

Mandy,

You are making a good decision. When reviewing a surgeons qualifications make sure you KNOW how many of the se operations he does per year, i.e. verify it with the hospital, and also verify his complication rate. Carotid Endarterectomy is very safe when done by an experienced surgeon. Good Luck! Let me know if you have more questions.

Do you have any suggestions on how to verify the rate of complications and the number of surgeries they phys. has done. Would the medical records department have it or the Quality Assurance people at the hospital? Thanks again for your support.