Carotid artery ultrasound

Tried to tell the cardiologist when i saw her this past March.  That i was not scheduled until 2024 by the vascular surgeron, every 2 years.  But she would not listen to me.  

 The results this time  for  both  no significant stenosis of the common carotid <50% stenosis of the internal  and <50% of the external.  Good blood flow to the brain.  Come back in 2 years.

Lesion Morphology: in the right is heterogenous approximately 48% ICA stenosis by gray scale.  The left one is calicified , approximately 48% ICA stenonsis by gray matter. 

Walked over to the heart specailist  office for this test all took  less than an hour.

new to pace


8 Comments

Good!

by Lavender - 2023-04-20 14:27:29

No significant stenosis sounds like good news!

My BF has only one carotid!  He's congenitally missing the left carotid and left vertebral arteries!🫨

All the more reason to check the flow!

flow

by new to pace.... - 2023-04-20 14:35:41

My left one has a small deviation that goes into the left ear and dead ends.  Found that out, when i was going to have that surgery where they put a small hole in the ear to let the sound in.  Surgeron got in and found  out that something was blocking.  Closed me up and said i was strange.  So that is one of the reasons do not hear from the left ear side.  Had a scan done an it shows the artery inside the ear.

new to pace

Bit different over 'ear

by Penguin - 2023-04-20 15:16:52

Pardon the pun, but I couldn't resist it!

Lucky you New to Pace! 

We're all struggling to get seen in the UK currently.  Thousands of planned appointments have been cancelled due to strikes by junior doctors and nurses who (justifiably IMO) feel overstretched, under resourced and underpaid and have walked out thus adding to already impressively long NHS waiting lists for operations, appointments and even chemo treatment for cancer. 

In your shoes I'd be grateful to receive scans which are precautionary rather than provoked by serious symptoms.  Lucky you! 

Pleased nothing serious was found. 

 

 

no problem with pun

by new to pace.... - 2023-04-20 15:39:08

Sorry Penguin, I know in the UK at this moment things are worse than right after the start of the pandamic.   To me this scan which i did not need until 2024, is a waste of everyones time and medicare payments.

Previously was at <49%.

Guess the cardilogist wanted to make sure, since i will not take prescription medication, nor have the watchman put in.

new to pace

Will your Vascular Surgeon receive a copy of the ultrasound report?

by Gemita - 2023-04-20 16:19:12

Hello new to pace, 

Thank you for the update.  Like you, my feeling is that your cardiologist is concerned about your risk factors for a stroke and wants to make sure that you still have good blood flow to your brain through your neck arteries.  

I agree with you that your vascular surgeon is taking care of this side of things and has a plan to check your Carotid arteries every two years.  I suppose though with high LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and AFib which remains untreated (no rate control or anticoagulation medication), the cardiologist is being extra cautious.  I note in your last post, that she again mentioned anticoagulation or Watchman.  By chance have you been successful in reducing your high LDL levels new to pace?  

While on the face of it, your report did not show any significant stenosis, I did pick up on your “Lesion Morphology: in the right is heterogenous approximately 48% ICA stenosis by gray scale.  The left one is calcified, approximately 48% ICA stenosis by gray matter”.

Plaques are classified according to their structural appearance being either heterogeneous (ulcerated, irregular surface) as opposed to homogeneous (regular, smooth surface).  Heterogeneous plaque appears to be an independent risk factor for an adverse event.  I recall my husband was told it is not only about the degree of blockage in an artery but the appearance of an artery too that determines whether or not it needs treating.  I wonder whether it would be helpful to send a copy of your ultrasound report to your vascular surgeon new to pace just for reassurance and to ask for his opinion on the report findings and how this might affect management in the future, if at all?

In the meantime, I wish you every success with your lifestyle changes and management of your arrhythmias.  You continue to be an inspiration for me.  

vascular surgeron

by new to pace.... - 2023-04-20 17:01:17

thanks Gemita, see you have returned to us after your trip.

Yes i asked that he get a copy of this, and on the printed copy it says he will along with my GP.

I have another blood test this monday April 24 to find out if i have successfully lowered the right numbers and raised the good numbers.

new to pace

Carotid artery stenosis

by Selwyn - 2023-04-22 08:40:29

Talking to my 86 year old table tennis friend, he is having his choleserol monitored and treated - he is fit, also playing tennis. 

I see you are in your 80s. with a 50% stenosis or thereabouts.  Perhaps in another 80+ years this will be 100%!  I don't think I would worry too much. Cholesterol monitoring and treatment is beneficial if you have significant life expectancy.  The need for anticoagulation is more difficult. Clots can form on atheroma ( hardening of the arteries ) and result in strokes, though at a 50% narrowing the risk is quite small.

[ see https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33609477/ for a summary of studies].  

Whilst the British National Health Service is having recruitment problems due to underfunding, we are still leap years ahead of the USA in terms of the overall population  life expectancy tables  ( at least 20 countries ).  Personally, I am monitored and have access to all the health care I need on a bimonthly basis ( at present), totally without cost to me. I put my prescription request in on-line to my general medical practitioner, and collect my medications from the pharmacy 48 hours later ( though I could have this delivered free of charge) - all without cost. My latest pacemaker replacement/fitting  cost me nothing. I do not have private medical insurance, and never have had. The NHS has just operated on my wife's cataract - her waiting time from seeing the specialist to operation was 3 months. All her treatment is free, including the eye drops. I merely have had to knock out the lens on her spectacles as her vision is now normal. She will get her other eye sorted asap. 50% of people can see a doctor on the day of their choice.   My sister's partner had bowel cancer picked up on the NHS screening, eye hole surgery to remove a growth and half of his colon, chemotherapy, and a liver resection fo his two metastases, and is making a good recovery - all in good time and without cost. 

God bless the British NHS, it is manned by marvellous people, with a skill set second to none. We are so lucky compared to some other countries.

 

thanks for the encouragment

by new to pace.... - 2023-04-22 08:54:42

Thanks Selwyn for your knowledge of how long it might take to reach 100% blockage.  I should live that long.

new to pace

You know you're wired when...

Your license plate reads “Pacer4Life”.

Member Quotes

Hang in there; it does get better every day!