Angioplasty and stent placement - carotid artery - discharge

When You Were in the Hospital:

You had an angioplasty done when you were in the hospital. You may have also had a stent (a tiny tube) placed in the blocked area to keep it open. Both of these were done to open a narrowed or blocked artery that supplies blood to your brain.

Your surgeon inserted a catheter (flexible tube) into an artery through an incision (cut) in your groin. Your surgeon used live x-rays to carefully guide the catheter up to the area of the blockage in your carotid artery. Then your surgeon passed a guide wire through the catheter to the blockage. A balloon catheter was pushed over the guide wire and into the blockage. The balloon on the end was blown up. This opened the blocked artery.

What Expect at Home:

You should be able to do most of your normal activities within a few days, but take it easy.

Self-care:

When to Call the Doctor:

Call your doctor or nurse if:

• You have a headache, become confused, or have numbness or weakness in any part of your body.
• You have problems with your eyesight or you cannot talk normally.
• There is bleeding at the catheter insertion site that does not stop when pressure is applied.
• There is swelling at the catheter site.
• Your leg or arm below where the catheter was inserted changes color or becomes cool to touch, pale, or numb.
• The small incision from your catheter becomes red or painful, or yellow or green discharge is draining from it.
• Your legs are swelling.
• You have chest pain or shortness of breath that does not go away with rest.
• You have dizziness, fainting, or you are very tired.
• You are coughing up blood or yellow or green mucus.
• You have chills or a fever over 101 °F.