TransCarotidArtery Revasculartion (TCAR) is an advanced technique designed for high risk patients whose carotid arteries are blocked, and who are unable to tolerate a surgical endarterectomy. With traditional carotid endarterectomy, surgery is performed to remove plaque from the artery that supplies blood to the brain.

TCAR offers a new approach for patients who are too high risk for this traditional surgical procedure.

Although this is a complex procedure, the minimally-invasive approach reduces the risk of stroke, complications, and recovery time.

How does it work?

During TCAR, the vascular surgeons at Deborah Specialty Physicians insert a tube into the carotid artery reversing the blood flow from the brain. During the process any plaque that is captured is filtered out, and the filtered blood is sent back to the patient through the vein in the groin. Then the surgeons can clear out the plaque and place a stent in the carotid artery to prop it open, after which the blood flow is reversed back to the brain again.