TransCarotid Artery Revascularization Specialist in Phoenix, AZ

If you suspect that you are suffering from carotid artery disease it is important that you schedule an appointment with the highly-trained vascular surgeons at Western Vascular Institute. Western Vascular Institute’s three conveniently located vein and vascular clinics in Phoenix, Mesa and Payson, AZ, house the most advanced & innovative surgery centers & diagnostic imaging capabilities for our valued patients. Our board-certified vascular surgeons provide you with a comprehensive diagnosis and help discover if the TransCarotid Artery Revascularization procedure is right for you. For more information, call our vein and vascular clinic at (480) 668-5000 schedule an TCAR consultation with one of our vascular surgeons, at one of our vein and vascular clinics in Phoenix, Mesa and Payson, Arizona.

What is the TransCarotid Artery Revascularization procedure?

TCAR is a surgically inspired procedure and is designed to mimic the arterial access and safeguards of surgery. In carotid artery surgery, the arteries are clamped above and below the blockage to block blood flow and prevent plaque from traveling to the brain during treatment. Similarly, the ENROUTE® Transcarotid Neuroprotection System isolates the blockage from forward blood flow during stent placement by actually reversing blood flow away from the brain. Because the flow reversal method does not rely on a distally placed filter to capture emboli before they reach the brain, it collects both small and large debris.

What is the TCAR procedure used for?

Silk Road’s TCAR Procedure is designed to protect the brain from most sizes and types of embolic debris when introducing interventional devices into the carotid artery. Small emboli, not large enough to cause a major stroke, can still cause a minor brain infarction and impact cognitive function.1-3 A sensitive imaging technology called Diffusion Weighted -Magnetic Resonance Imaging (DW-MRI) can be used to detect these small brain infarctions.

How is the TransCarotid Artery Revascularization procedure performed?

A small incision is made just above the collar bone to expose the common carotid artery. A soft, flexible sheath is placed directly into the carotid artery and connected to a system that will reverse the flow of blood away from the brain to protect against fragments of plaque that may come loose during the procedure. The blood is filtered and returned through a second sheath placed in the femoral vein in the patient’s thigh. The Neuroprotection system allows balloon angioplasty and stenting to be performed while blood flow is reversed. After the stent is placed successfully to stabilize the plaque in the carotid artery, flow reversal is turned off and blood flow to the brain resumes in its normal direction.