What is recovery like after carotid endarterectomy?

One Night Stay: Typically people spend one night in the intensive care unit before going home the next day. A sore throat is common as is numbness of the neck / chin / lip of the operated side. The numbness improves over 6 months. Pain is surprisingly not the most common complaint. High or low blood pressure, the complication of stroke or a heart attack may keep a patient in the hospital longer.

Usually 24-48 hours: Endarterectomy is the gold standard for symptomatic carotid disease. Recovery can be quick - just 24-48 hours. Many surgeons have a 2% peri operative rate of stroke, less than 1% risk of peri operative death. There is some risk to nerves that control the voice box but should an injury occur it is usually temporary. The key is to ask your surgeon what his personal complication rates are.

Recovery: Typically people go home the next morning with just the sensation that they have a "stiff neck" rather than a lot of pain. We ask them to take it easy until the follow up visit after which they can usually return to normal activity levels.