Can my artery reclog after carotid endarterectomy?

Yes: The recurrence rates after endarterectomy depend in a number of factors such as smoking, patch use for angioplasty and on going problems with managing the risk factors of peripheral vascular disease. Women may also be more likely to have recurrent disease.

Yes: Scar and plaque may form. Need to be followed with yearly ultrasounds. If severe blockage returns, then carotid stent indicated.

Blocked again?: Up to 18-20% of people can develop more that 50% blockage in a carotid that had been fixed before but of all those people only 1% of them develop enough blockage beyond 50% to need a second procedure.