New, Less Invasive Treatment for Carotid Artery Disease at St. Joseph Health Reduces Risk of Stroke

Bryan, TX, August 10, 2020— St. Joseph Health is proud to now offer a new procedure to treat patients with carotid artery disease at Regional Hospital in Bryan, TX. TransCarotid Artery Revascularization (TCAR) is a clinically proven treatment that temporarily redirects blood away from the brain in order to stabilize plaque build-up in the carotid arteries. This treatment is proven more efficient and less invasive than traditional carotid artery surgery.

TCAR has been studied extensively and is an FDA-cleared procedure. Over 10,000 procedures have been performed worldwide, and the clinical data have been excellent. Based on published clinical trials, the procedure offers several advantages:

• Better outcomes. TCAR results in a low peri-procedural stroke rate of 1.4% in high surgical risk patients[1]. TCAR’s low stroke rate is the lowest reported to date for any prospective, multi-center trial of carotid stenting.
• Less invasive. The TCAR approach has very low rates of cranial nerve injury and heart attack due to a minimal incision near the clavicle and the transcarotid approach.
• Patient friendly. Local anesthesia is favored, and hospital stays are typically overnight for observation. TCAR patients recover quickly and almost always go home the next day to return to full and productive lives with less pain and smaller scars.

“TCAR gives me the excellent neuroprotection I expect from carotid endarterectomy, but the procedure is far less invasive which has real benefit to the patient,” said Dr. Charles Smith. “They recover quickly with less pain, and the risks of both minor and major complications are significantly decreased. TCAR represents the modernization of carotid repair.”

TCAR procedures for symptomatic and asymptomatic patients at high risk for surgery are eligible for Medicare reimbursement through the Society of Vascular Surgery-sponsored TCAR Surveillance Project. This program is part of the Vascular Quality Initiative, an open registry that tracks long-term clinical outcomes to promote best practices and evidence based medicine.

About St. Joseph Health

St. Joseph Health is comprised of five hospitals, two long term care facilities and multiple clinics across the Brazos Valley, including Regional Hospital in Bryan-College Station and St. Joseph Health – College Station Hospital (formerly College Station Medical Center).  St. Joseph Health is home to a Level II Major Trauma Center, the highest in the region. St. Joseph Health is an academic and clinical partner of Texas A&M Health Science Center. Together, the St. Joseph and Texas A&M Health Network includes over 100 employed primary care physicians, specialists and advanced practice clinicians. As an active member of the Brazos Valley, St. Joseph Health is a leader in providing compassionate care and are committed to overall health of the community.  We are part of CommonSpirit Health, the largest Catholic healthcare system in the United States, and is committed to advancing the health of all people and dedicated to serving the common good. Learn more about St. Joseph Health at CHIStJoseph.org.

[For more information, please contact Communications Manager Tracy Bates at 713-962-9347 or [email protected].]

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