New minimally invasive procedure prevents strokes
Surgical Associates, S.C. is the first in the region to treat carotid artery disease and prevent future strokes using a new procedure called TransCarotid Artery Revascularization (TCAR). TCAR (tee-kahr) is a clinically proven, minimally invasive and safe approach for high surgical risk patients who need carotid artery treatment.
Carotid artery disease is a form of atherosclerosis, or a buildup of plaque, in the two main arteries in the neck that supply oxygen-rich blood to the brain. If left untreated, carotid artery disease can often lead to stroke; it is estimated to be the source of stroke in up to a third of cases, with 427,000 new diagnoses of the disease made every year in the U.S. alone.
TCAR is unique in that blood flow is temporarily reversed during the procedure so that any small bits of plaque that may break off are diverted away from the brain, preventing a stroke from happening. A stent is then placed inside the artery to stabilize the plaque, minimizing the risk of a future stroke.
“Surgical Associates is proud to offer this revolutionary, lifesaving procedure to high surgical risk patients across Northcentral Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula,” said Surgical Associates CEO Mike Murphy. “With faster patient recovery and stroke rates being reported as low as 1.4 percent in trials, TCAR represents innovation poised to be the future of carotid artery repair.”
About Surgical Associates, S.C.:
Surgical Associates, S.C. is a multispecialty, independent surgical practice providing tertiary-level surgical care at Aspirus Wausau Hospital. General and acute care surgery, vascular surgery, breast surgery, and bariatric surgery are among the surgical services offered at Surgical Associates. The practice provides outreach clinic and surgical services to several Northcentral Wisconsin communities, including Antigo, Medford, Merrill, Rhinelander, Stevens Point, Wisconsin Rapids, Woodruff as well as Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
About TCAR
The TCAR procedure was developed by Sunnyvale, California-based Silk Road Medical, Inc. and includes the ENROUTE® Transcarotid Neuroprotection (NPS) and Stent System –the first devices designed and FDA-approved specifically for TCAR.Over 10,000 TCAR procedures have been performed worldwide through clinical trial and commercial use. TCAR has been studied extensively, and the clinical data have been excellent. Additional information about TCAR is available at http://silkroadmed.com/disease-and-treatment-options/
