Surgery for carotid artery stenosis includes two types of procedures, carotid endarterectomy and carotid stenting, both of which have the same risk of cerebral infarction caused by plaque dislodgement, while the other risks are mainly as follows.
1. Carotid endarterectomy: surgical removal of thickened intima-media atherosclerotic plaque, the main risk is that the patient cannot tolerate intraoperative carotid artery blockage and intraoperative plaque dislodgement, which is highly related to the operator of the surgery, but less frequent; and secondly, it may lead to craniocerebral nerve damage, which leads to symptoms such as hoarseness of voice, choking, and paralyzing sensation.
2. Carotid artery stenting: the biggest risk is the formation of thrombus again after stenting, so it is necessary to standardize the use of dual-anti-drug treatment after the operation; followed by infarction caused by plaque dislodgement; there are also stent fracture or displacement, resulting in vascular damage, but this is relatively rare.
For patients with severe stenosis or occlusion, carotid endarterectomy is preferred, while stenting can be considered for patients who can’t tolerate it or for other factors, and both procedures are generally safer, with the advantages outweighing the disadvantages.