About Curtis J. Edwards, MD, FACS Expertise Semi-retired, general and vascular surgery questions, veins arteries and questions related to the thorax. Seventeen years practice experience. I ran the non-invasive vascular lab at a major teaching hospital prior to attending medical school. While in private practice treated diseases of the peripheral veins and arteries including venous injection and ablation procedures, and arterial bypass grafting, and endarterectomy.
Experience Seventeen years private practice, general, peripheral vascular, non-cardiac thoracic surgery (semi-retired). Aviation medicine.
Organizations College of Surgeons, AMA, Aerospace Medical Assoc.
Education/Credentials BA,MD, American Board of Surgery, Fellow American College of Surgeons, Senior FAA Aerospace Medical Examiner
Question I am 50 years old don't smoke, don't have high blood pressure, cholesterol is normal and the results of the ultrasound on my left carotid artery showed a 30% blockage, i'm not sure what i need to do as i excerize and my weight is also normal
Answer A thirty percent carotid artery stenosis (narrowing) is not operable. I would suggest a discussion with your physician regarding periodic ultrasound surveillance. These lesions do not follow any uniform progression. As your risk factors are minimal, a follow-up ultrasound in a year or so would be reassuring if the stenosis was basically unchanged or had grown only minimally. Fifty percent to sixty percent stenosis or neurological symptoms attributable to the lesion is the usual threshold for an endarterectomy. I hope this helps.
