Doctor Experience Is Critical in Carotid Artery Procedures, Study Suggests

Doctor Experience Is Critical in Carotid Artery Procedures, Study Suggests
Tuesday, September 27, 2011

ScienceDaily

Preventing a stroke by placing a stent in the carotid artery, a major artery of the head and neck, is a procedure that's skyrocketing in the United States, but the outcomes can be deadly if older patients are not in the right hands.

Older patients receiving carotid artery stenting from lesser experienced physicians had an increased risk of death 30 days after stent placement, according to a study published September 27 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

An analysis of Medicare data showed a higher death risk if the stent was inserted by a doctor who performed less than six procedures a year, of if the procedure was conducted early in the physician's career.