Stenting safe and effective for long-term stroke prevention

Using stents to keep neck arteries open is just as effective as invasive neck surgery for long-term prevention of fatal and disabling strokes, reports an international trial led by UCL funded by the Medical Research Council and Stroke Association. The research paper, published today in the Lancet, was authored by researchers from UCL, Basel University, Switzerland, the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, the University Medical Center Utrecht, Netherlands, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and Newcastle University. The brain's blood supply comes from the carotid arteries, two large blood vessels that run through the neck. Carotid artery disease occurs when cholesterol and fatty deposits build up in these arteries, restricting blood flow and increasing the risk of stroke. In the UK, carotid artery disease is most commonly treated by an invasive surgical procedure called endarterectomy. Patients are put under general or local anaesthetic and surgeons cut open the affected artery to remove the build-up and then sew the wound up. The operation leaves a scar on the neck and can lead to heart attack, short-term facial paralysis from nerve damage, and bleeding, which can prolong hospital stays.