What is carotid endarterectomy?

For patients with severe carotid artery stenosis, the presence of plaques affects the normal flow of blood, and the plaques are easily detached to form emboli, which block the cerebral arteries with blood circulation. Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is a procedure that prevents and treats ischemic cerebrovascular disease by removing thickened atherosclerotic plaques in the carotid intima. This procedure is usually performed after the patient develops clinical symptoms such as transient cerebral ischemia and cerebral thrombosis .