Dr. Merritt

St. John's Clinic cardiologist Robert Merritt, M.D., and colleagues Clyde Redmond, M.D., and Matthew Burry, M.D. at St. John's Hospital can now perform a less-invasive procedure to prevent the risk of stroke in patients with carotid artery disease.

The therapy, called carotid artery stenting, has been studied extensively and was approved for limited use by the FDA and insurers in March of 2005. The procedure is considered an equally effective treatment for patients compared to carotid artery surgery, while lowering the risk for adverse outcomes in patients considered high-risk for the surgical approach.

Dr. Burry

This method allows a stent to be placed in the artery by using an X-ray machine and a catheter device. The patient is usually in the hospital less than 24 hours and has no surgical wound.
“It is safer than traditional surgery for high-risk patients,” says Dr. Merritt.

Dr. Redmond

Recently, Medicare and insurers have allowed expanded use of the stent device to include patients without symptoms of stroke who have severe blockage. St. John's is able to offer the procedure by participating in a clinical trial that tracks patients for one year following the procedure.

People with at least an 80 percent blockage and are considered high-risk for the traditional surgery are candidates for this procedure.

“This is a new option for patients, especially those that may be considered too high-risk for the open surgery and therefore would be excluded from the stroke prevention benefits of carotid artery treatment,” Dr. Merritt says.

To refer a patient for this procedure, or for more information about it, please call St. John's Clinic-Cardiology at 417-820-3911.

Read more about St. John's Cardiovascular Services.