Strokes

Many people in the U.K. are disabled by or die from strokes. Mr Sharon, the Israeli Prime Minister, is the most recent world figure to suffer from a stroke. Both strokes and mini strokes are often caused by plaques of cholesterol building up on the inside of the carotid arteries in the neck, which supply the brain. If you look at the inside of a drainpipe at home you will get some idea what this looks like. The best procedure at present is a carotid endarectomy, where the inside of the carotid artery is cleaned out to prevent it blocking or sending clots up into the brain. This operation can be done under local anaesthetic and is extremely successful.

The Carotid Artery is exposed in the neck.	After removal of the plaques from the artery, it is sewn up and normal blood flow is restored.