St. Mary Medical Center completes 100th TCAR procedure to treat carotid artery disease

NORTHWEST INDIANA | The Cardiovascular team at St. Mary Medical Center marked a significant milestone in May with the completion of their 100th TransCarotid Artery Revascularization (TCAR) procedure. TCAR is a clinically proven and minimally invasive approach for treatment of carotid artery disease and prevention of stroke.

St. Mary Medical Center was the first hospital in Northwest Indiana to perform TCAR. “TCAR represents the future of carotid repair,” said Anas Safadi, MD, an interventional cardiologist with Powers Health. “It offers patients a minimally invasive option to remove the build-up of plaque in the carotid artery, with a faster recovery time and an increased chance of being discharged to home sooner compared to traditional surgery.”TCAR is unique in that blood flow is temporarily reversed during the procedure so that any small bits of plaque that may break off are diverted away from the brain, preventing a stroke from happening.

A stent is then placed inside the artery to stabilize the plaque, minimizing the risk of a future stroke. Prior to TCAR, the main treatment option for severe carotid artery disease was an open surgical procedure called carotid endarterectomy (CEA). CEA removes plaque from inside the carotid artery to restore normal blood flow to the brain. Now patients can be evaluated to determine the best option for them based on their clinical presentation.

The TCAR procedure is one of the numerous comprehensive cardiovascular care options at the hospitals of Powers Health, which includes Community Hospital in Munster; St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago; St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart and Powers Health Rehabilitation Center in Crown Point. For more information about cardiovascular care at the hospitals of Powers Health, visit PowersHealth.org/heart