Carotid Artery Stenting is a minimally invasive procedure used to treat a blockage (stenosis) in the carotid artery. During this procedure, the physician makes a small incision into an artery in the groin, arm or wrist. A guide catheter - a small, hollow tube with a guide wire inside it - is then inserted into the artery and used to deliver devices that will treat the stenosis (guide wire, balloons, embolic protection device, stent). At the end of the procedure, all devices except the stent are removed. The stent remains in place to keep the artery open and to help prevent future narrowing.
