What the CREST clinical trial results mean to you
Behind the News:
What the CREST clinical trial results mean to you
Andrew Ringer, MD, a neurosurgeon with the UC Neuroscience Institute and Mayfield Clinic, explains the results of CREST, the Carotid Revascularization Endarterectomy vs Stenting Trial for patients suffering from carotid atherosclerosis, a buildup of plaque in their carotid arteries.
In carotid stenosis, atherosclerotic plaque narrows the artery diameter, reducing blood flow (fig. A ).
The irregular surface of the artery wall can cause clot formation that blocks the vessel or breaks off, travels downstream, and blocks a smaller vessel (fig. B).