Blockage of carotid artery with no intervention till 80% blocked?

@gloaming
Thanks for the comment and I hope your Dad continues to do well. His experience reinforces my belief that “what can be done is being done” and to follow the advice of the experts (my vascular surgeon, etc.) and ignore the concerns of friends and others, even though well meaning, who say I should do something more. Thanks again for the comment and best wishes to your Dad for continued health and quality of life.

@brihug This is exactly what happened, and what was explained to, my well-aged father who was 85 at the time he had an endarterectomy. The vascular surgeon told him his right side was fully occluded, and therefore inoperable. The left still had 10% passage, and she offered to bypass that with a vein stripped from his ankle. My dad opted for MAID three weeks ago, but due to failing health with other problems. He continued to invest on line and did very well, so his cognition did not suffer as a result of the one side being fully shut off. Note that there are other smaller arteries running up the back of the neck that an take up some of the needed flow, in addition to the bypassed left side in my Dad's case. So, while it's a distinct and lamentable bummer to lose one carotid's flow, it isn't an end-game catastrophe.

@lisalucier
I am not thrilled about the “nothing to be done” diagnosis regarding my totally occluded carotid artery. However, until such time as I see someone say that their doctors did or can do something about their totally occluded artery, I really have no other alternative but to follow my doctor’s advice. His explanation as to why nothing is done made sense (in trying to clear the artery, particles can escape and end up in my brain). This, as well as the fact that not a single other person on this site having the same condition being given a different therapy, leads me to believe that the medical consensus is there is nothing to be done. What is actually more troublesome is being told that the remaining artery won’t be fixed until it reaches a certain percent blockage and that this is because of an INSURANCE coverage issue. This in effect prohibits me and my DOCTOR from taking a course of action that perhaps we both would prefer (for example, doing sooner while I am younger and better able to withstand the surgery, or if doing earlier results in a better long term outcome).

@brihug - it seems like the watch and wait approach is really tough for a lot of Mayo Clinic Connect members. I think most patients would rather be doing something proactive to ensure that a carotid artery blockage (or any other medical issue identified) is under control.

@tskeane - did you find something that could be done for you 100% blocked carotid artery?

@heidemarie - how are you doing?

Tagging @starfirey2k to see how they are doing with the watch and wait after a blockage was discovered. @davej @predictable @mick2 @jakedduck1 also may have some thoughts to share on waiting till a doctor says it's time to do something.

@lisalucier
Thanks for the follow up. My condition is good. My life is basically unchanged. I had a follow up scan (about 6 months later) and things basically the same. I have another in another 6 months. So, I continue to wait until such time as the vascular surgeon says it’s time to do something. I don’t have symptoms related to possible stroke and other vitals are all good. In reading the comments of others, they seem to have the same concerns as I did, but I also see the treatment regiment they describe is also pretty much the same, ie: nothing done about a 100% blocked artery, and surgery on other artery at a greater blockage percentage than I have now. This gives me at least some comfort, as it seems that what can be done, is being done. Thanks again for reaching out.

Hi @brihug - just wanted to check back with you and see how the watching and waiting time is going after the diagnosis of the occluded left carotid artery? How have your nerves been with this time?

Hi, @brihug - I moved your discussion on occluded carotid artery where the doctor says they do nothing here to this existing discussion of blocked carotid artery so you can chat with others discussing this topic. Hoping members such as @dvh @predictable @lizthebrit @jessica79 @applesforall5370 @jakedduck1 @starfirey2k @davej will respond and let you know any thoughts they have about the doctor's input regarding not doing anything with your occluded left carotid artery with no symptoms.

I was diagnosed with occluded left carotid artery. Vascular surgeon said they don’t do anything in this case as they “ don’t have control of both ends” and surgery in this case could result in particles of the calcium deposits traveling to my brain and doing damage. My question is: is it common for a surgeon to do nothing in this case? I have had no symptoms….no headaches, dizziness, weakness etc. My statin dosage was recently increased and vascular surgeon said to begin taking baby aspirin a day. Doing nothing makes me nervous about the future.

Get all your options surgery or stenting it.
Get another perspective. I have been to Mayo myself they will figure out what would be best for you.

My son is hemipalegic from his stroke. He has some blockage in the left one, but so far they’re just keeping an eye on it. He takes Crestor 40mg and Fenofibrate 20 mg. So far, so good. Sounds like you’re making good choices with diet, etc. We’re trying to trust the Lord that he’ll be able to walk by himself again some day.