Tools That Allow Surgeons to Operate Inside the Body Without Having to Make Large Incisions

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MINIMALLY INVASIVE CAROTID ARTERY SURGERY TO REDUCE STROKE THREAT

IS ANOTHER AREA FIRST FOR JUPITER MEDICAL CENTER’S VASCULAR LAB

April 26, 2005 – Jupiter, Fla. – Jupiter Medical Center’s Vascular Lab has introduced a cutting-edge, minimally invasive procedure to treat carotid artery disease, the cause of about 25 percent of all strokes. JMC’s Vascular Lab is the only facility in Northern Palm Beach and Martin Counties to offer patients carotid artery stenting to re-open blocked carotid arteries and prevent stroke.

Carotid arteries, located in the neck, carry oxygen-rich blood from the heart to the brain. A stroke can occur if the artery becomes obstructed, if a piece of plaque breaks off, or if a clot forms in the carotid artery, blocking the blood flow to the brain, said Dr. Jaime Toro , who with Dr. Lee Fox performs the procedures at the Vascular Lab. Both Drs. Toro and Fox are Board Certified in Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and specialize in minimally invasive vascular treatments. They are the first physicians in North Palm Beach and Martin counties to become certified in this new procedure.

The standard surgical procedure for restoring blood flow within the carotid arteries is carotid endarterectomy, which requires an incision in the neck and carotid artery to remove plaque and debris from inside the vessel wall. Carotid Artery Stenting is often recommended for patients who, for a variety of reasons, are poor candidates for surgical endarterectomy.

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Carotid Stenting – Page 2 of 3

With carotid artery stenting, the Interventional Radiologists can use a new minimally invasive procedure. The new procedure is an FDA-approved mesh metal stent with a parachute-like “distal protection device” on one end. The stent pushes aside occlusive material thus restoring normal blood flow through the artery. The parachute protection device is used to collect plaque and debris that can be dislodged during the procedure and potentially cause a stroke if the material reaches the brain.

The Medical Center’s comprehensive program to treat carotid artery disease involves both highly skilled Interventional Radiologists and Vascular Surgeons specially trained and credentialed to perform either procedure.

“With stenting, the device is inserted through a dime-sized incision in the groin and coursed through arteries using x-ray guidance to direct the device to the blockage,” said Dr. Toro. “The blockage is treated with balloon angioplasty and the placement of a stent - a small, self-expanding metal tube that keeps the vessel open, thereby preventing a stroke from occurring in the first place.”

Using the minimally invasive approach can mean a significantly shorter, more comfortable recovery and results comparable to those of the traditional surgical procedures, Dr. Fox said. “Patients are usually sent home the day after the carotid artery procedure,” he said.

A not-for-profit community medical center, Jupiter Medical Center has 156 private acute care hospital beds and 120 long-term care beds. It provides a broad range of services, with specialty concentrations in orthopaedics, minimally invasive vascular procedures, cancer care, women’s services and advanced diagnostics. The Medical Center has 1,400 employees, 450 physicians and more than 1,100 volunteers.

For more information about the services available at Jupiter Medical Center, please call (561) 747-2234 or visit

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Attachments: Carotid stenting images