EUGENE SCHARF: Carotid stenosis can be very deceptive, and can fly under the radar. When a carotid stenosis is discovered, it's critically important to stratify the risk of stroke. We have noninvasive vascular imaging that allows us to render a complete image of the carotid vascular circulation, as well as the intracranial circulation.
PAUL LINDELL: We can both look at the interior of the vessel, how narrow it is, and measure that. And there are a number of ways that we can then determine how severe that problem is. We are able to do basic examinations on everyone. While we're doing those, overwhelmingly, we're able to look at the examination and say, gosh! I see something here, or I need to do that. And we can modify the examination when it's being done. Typically, the patient doesn't have to come back for additional imaging.
EUGENE SCHARF: If there is any diagnostic uncertainty, or if there's any wish just for a second opinion or a second set of eyes on a particular neurovascular question, that would be ample reason to refer. If there is ultimately a recommendation for a surgical or interventional carotid revascularization, I would think it'd be critically important in order to have a physician complete this that has a high volume.
HARRY CLOFT: It's important to have a plan, and a lot of the collaboration begins at the planning stage, where physicians of different disciplines talk amongst ourselves about what should be the best approach, before we even go on with an interventional procedure.
PAUL LINDELL: And we all work together behind the scenes, to try to find out what the patient needs.
EUGENE SCHARF: We benefit from multiple different referral sources, in that our revascularization and surgical specialists see these cases exclusively. It really is a group effort.
