Vascular Surgeons at Memorial Hospital use Latest Technology to Treat Carotid Artery Disease

GULFPORT, Miss.— Memorial Hospital at Gulfport is proud to be the first civilian hospital on the Mississippi Gulf Coast to offer TransCarotid Artery Revascularization (TCAR) to treat carotid artery disease and help prevent stroke.

Memorial Vascular Surgeons are now using this minimally invasive approach to treat carotid artery disease. A tiny incision is made at the base of the neck then a catheter is inserted into the carotid artery. The TCAR instrument temporarily reroutes the blood to flow backward, away from the brain. This innovation prevents plaque debris from reaching the brain and causing a stroke.

Carotid artery disease is a form of atherosclerosis, or a buildup of plaque, in the two main arteries in the neck that supply oxygen-rich blood to the brain. If left untreated, carotid artery disease can often lead to stroke; it is estimated to be the source of stroke in up to a third of stroke patients.

TCAR is an important new option in the fight against stroke and is particularly suited for patients who are at higher risk of complications from carotid surgery