What is the difference between CAS and CEA?
Carotid Artery Stenting (CAS) and Carotid Endarterectomy (CEA) are two types of surgical procedures used to treat carotid artery disease. CAS is a minimally invasive procedure in which a stent is inserted into the carotid artery to open it up and increase blood flow. CEA is an open surgery in which a surgeon removes the plaque build-up in the carotid artery to restore normal blood flow. Both procedures have been found to be effective in reducing the risk of stroke, but CAS carries a higher risk of stroke and death in the periprocedural period, with the overall estimated 4-year rate of any periprocedural stroke or death or postprocedural ipsilateral stroke being higher with stenting compared to endarterectomy.