What you need to know
Per a news release shared by the hospital system in August, Dr. Bradley Boone, M.D., chief of surgery at Heart Hospital of Austin at St. David’s Round Rock and vascular surgeon with Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgeons, performed the first surgery in the country to use a carotid stent in the transcarotid artery revascularization technique since receiving approval from the Food and Drug Administration.
The minimally invasive technique treats carotid artery disease, a condition in which this artery becomes narrowed or blocked.
What they're saying
"This new vascular stent adds an extra layer of safety to the TCAR procedure we’ve been refining for more than a decade,” Boone said in the release. “Compared to other treatment options, it improves patient outcomes, shortens recovery times and gives more people access to lifesaving care with greater confidence and fewer complications.”
How it works
According to the release, the stent works like a filter to prevent debris from traveling to the brain, which can cause a stroke. This method has the lowest rate of stroke or major complications, clinical studies show.
