What does endovascular treatment of carotid artery and aneurysms consist of?
Endovascular treatments of the different arteries consist of solving the problem that an artery may present, through the use of guides and catheters that allow implanting a prosthesis inside the artery in the aneurysms, leaving them excluded, or dilating the artery where there is a stenosis, eliminating it.
To perform them, we need an access point to the arterial system, where either through a puncture or catheterization, or by surgical access to the artery, we implant a temporary introducer. This allows us to introduce into the arterial system the materials we need to solve the problem, such as going to the destination we are looking for with the use of the so-called navigation guides under radiological control, so that once the guide is taken to the desired destination, we can introduce through catheters the necessary elements to solve the problem presented by the patient in the target artery.
What are the advantages over conventional surgery?
The main advantage is that it is a much less aggressive technique. By being less aggressive, on the one hand, we reduce the risks of complications typical of conventional surgery, and on the other, recovery from this type of intervention is much faster.
Is any patient a candidate for endovascular treatment?
A priori yes, but the indication to use an endovascular procedure depends both on the patient and the lesion he/she presents. Not all lesions are susceptible to endovascular treatment.
What care should be followed in the postoperative period?
It depends on the procedure performed, but normally in 48-72h a practically normal life can be carried out.