What are the symptoms of plaques on the neck? Do I need surgery for plaques on the neck?

We all know that there is a large artery in the neck, which is the carotid artery. The blood in the artery is very important for the normal functioning of our heart. If you find plaques on your neck, you should pay close attention. Generally, they are formed in the arteries, indicating the risk of cerebral infarction.

What are the symptoms of plaques on the neck?

The formation of plaques in the neck is a "danger signal" of cerebral infarction, because plaque formation generally refers to the formation in the arteries. The formation of plaques in the carotid artery indicates that the carotid artery has atherosclerosis. Once the plaque ruptures or platelets aggregate and clot in the plaque area of ​​atherosclerosis, acute blockage of the blood vessels may occur.

If the plaque is unstable, it is easy to fall off and flow into the brain blood vessels, causing cerebral vascular stenosis or blockage. Therefore, the most convenient and quickest way is to do a neck B-ultrasound to see the nature of the plaque and the degree of stenosis.

If the lipid pool of the plaque is small and the fibrous cap is large, it is a hard plaque, which is relatively stable, like a bun with small fillings and thick skin, and is not easy to rupture. If the lipid pool of the plaque is large and the fibrous cap is small, it is a soft plaque, which is unstable, like a bun with large fillings and thin skin, and is easy to rupture.

Do I need surgery for plaques on my neck?

This depends on the degree of carotid artery stenosis, which can be divided into: ① mild stenosis, the inner diameter of the artery is reduced by <30%; ② moderate stenosis, the inner diameter of the artery is reduced by 30% to 69%; ③ severe stenosis, the inner diameter of the artery is reduced by 70% to 99%; ④ complete occlusion.

Clinically, surgical treatment is considered only when the degree of stenosis is greater than 70%, or less than 70% but with obvious clinical symptoms. The standard method of surgery is carotid endarterectomy. With the development of interventional surgery, surgery such as carotid stent implantation can also be selected.

For carotid artery plaques that do not require surgery, it is best to take medication, quit smoking and drinking, take oral antiplatelet drugs such as aspirin, plaque-stabilizing drugs such as statins, pay attention to a light diet, exercise appropriately, and protect your blood vessels.

How to treat plaque in the carotid artery

First of all, if the stenosis caused by the plaque does not exceed 50% and there are no other underlying diseases, no special treatment is needed. Just pay attention to adjusting your lifestyle, eat a light diet, exercise moderately, get enough rest, and quit smoking and drinking.

If the plaque is less than 50% and there are other cardiovascular diseases, such as hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia, or if the plaque is greater than 50% but less than 70%, aspirin and statins should be taken. If the plaque is greater than 70%, stent implantation or atherectomy should be considered.