Patient Instructions for Carotid Endarterectomy

Preparing for Surgery

• The doctor will check your medical history and order tests before surgery. You may need blood work, a chest x-ray, an ECG, and/or a stress test, or you may be asked to see a cardiologist.
• You will need to visit the hospital a few days prior to surgery to ensure that all the tests are done and to complete paperwork.

On the Morning of Surgery

• Do not eat anything for eight hours prior to surgery, which usually means nothing after midnight the day before.
• Do not take insulin or other medications to lower your blood sugar.
• Do not take blood thinning medication (such as Coumadin) for at least 5 days prior to surgery, and be sure to ask us about this medication if your are taking it.
• Take all other medicines you are currently on.
• Shower and shave as usual.

After Your Surgery

• You will stay in the recovery room for two to three hours after surgery and then be taken to a regular room.
• Pain will be controlled with medicine if necessary.
• Your diet will be suited to your need and ability to swallow.
• The hospital stay for this type of surgery is usually overnight. You will need someone to drive you home when you are discharged.

When You Go Home

• Resume your usual activites as you feel able.
• Diet should be continued as before the surgery. Be careful that you do not become constipated. Include enough roughage and liquids. You may need a mild laxative such as milk of magnesia.
• You may resume sexual activity whenever you choose.
• You should not drive until you are pain free and you are confident that you can handle a car under all driving conditions. Your recovery depends on your general condition before your surgery, the extent of your operation, and what medicines you are on. It is best to start out with short trips. There is a tendency to become easily fatigued for a month after surgery and you should bear this in mind.
• Your return to work depends upon how you feel and your job requirements. It is not uncommon to take two weeks to a month off after this type of operation.
• You should see us in the office about a week after you are home from the hospital.

Wound Care

• Keep dry dressings on the incision if it is still draining. After that you may leave the incision open to the air. If you have a tendency to bump yourself or the incision rubs on your clothing, you may keep it covered.
• There may be narrow strips of tape across the incision beneath the dressing. It’s all right if they get wet; they will be removed in the doctor’s office.
• You may shower over the incision when it is no longer draining (usually one or two days), with the surgical dressings either on or off. After you dry yourself, replace any dressings with clean, dry ones.
• The side of your neck may be numb from the surgical incision. This shouldn’t be cause for concern, as it usually disappears in a few months.
• It is also common to have some swelling and bruising in the area of the incision. This always goes away completely over time.

Medications After Surgery

• You should continue on the medications you were on prior to surgery. You will also be given narcotic pain pills. You should try to wean yourself off them as soon as possible.
• The narcotics are also constipating so you should take a mild laxative if you need one.

Call Our Office If...

• You have any symptoms similar to the old ones or any new or unusual symptoms.
• The incision becomes red or swollen, or there is drainage from it.
• You develop a temperature higher than 100.7ºF.
• You have any questions.