The saline jets create a near perfect vacuum in a 360 radius around the tip. This vacuum pulls the thrombus into the jet stream where it is broken into microscopic fragments and propelled out of the patient's body. Future devices under investigation are also shown below. Patients accepted by our Cardiology practice for this procedure will spend only 1 or 2 nights in the hospital with immediate recovery, rather than 1 week in the hospital followed by 4 weeks of recovery. If you feel that you are suffering from this disorder, please feel free to contact our office for a full evaluation.
Many patients are just too high risk for a carotid artery bypass operation.
Indeed, they may not have symptoms of severe blockage but can be categorized as having a blockage with a high chance of impending stroke. Patients who already have had one such operation, who have had radiation therapy, or have severe heart and lung disease, may be candidates for this stent protocol. They will be carefully screened by a team of physicians prior to being accepted into this program. At the present time this procedure is under investigation by the FDA, and requires strict guidelines. Shown here is a Smart Stent implanted in a carotid artery stenosis yielding an excellent angiographic appearance.