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Have Had Tia And Stroke. Could It Be Due To Complete Blockage Of Left Carotid?

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Posted on Thu, 1 Nov 2012
Question: hi doctor XXXXXXX .yesterday i asked many questions ..this is regarding my husband . i want to know if his left carotid is completly block then why did he have a tia and a stroke ??thanx
doctor
Answered by Dr. Sudhir Kumar (7 minutes later)
Hi XXXXXXX,
Thank you for asking these questions. I like people who ask questions, as the answers may improve the quality of their and their family member's lives.
Regarding your current question, the complete blockage of left carotid reduces the blood supply to left side of brain. So, TIA and stroke can occur with complete blockage.
However, the stroke severity is less in your husband's case, as some amount of blood is reaching the left side of brain from the right carotid side due to collateral branches, as explained yesterday.
Please get back if any more queries are there.
Best wishes,
Dr Sudhir Kumar MD DM (Neurology)

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Sudhir Kumar (2 minutes later)
is it possible that the complete blockage occured afterthe stroke?? what if he gets itagain??this is like sitting on a ticking bomb ..i am really confused?/
pls tell me how to prevent another stroke ..dos and donts
doctor
Answered by Dr. Sudhir Kumar (10 minutes later)
Complete blockage did not occur after the stroke. If that had happened, he would have lost complete speech and would have had severe weakness of the right arm and leg, which did not happen.
This suggests that blockage of left carotid happened gradually over time, giving ample time for collateral branches to develop from right carotid and supply the left side of brain.
As you would expect, the supply from the right carotid through collateral branches can not be as good as direct blood supply from left carotid; hence, he developed minor stroke.
This condition can be well managed medically and if all precautions are taken (as mentioned yesterday), I don't expect any serious thing to happen.
Best wishes,
Dr Sudhir Kumar MD DM (Neurology)
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Sudhir Kumar (7 minutes later)
how many times in a yearshould he take mri,ct angio ,lipid tests
how to know rest carotids are ok?>?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Sudhir Kumar (1 hour later)
If there are no symptoms, routine MRI and CT angio are not required.
Lipid profile may be repeated once in six months.
Simple- carotid doppler test- may be done to see the carotids and it may be repeated at six month intervals.
Dr Sudhir Kumar MD DM
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
Answered by
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Dr. Sudhir Kumar

Neurologist

Practicing since :1994

Answered : 6232 Questions

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Have Had Tia And Stroke. Could It Be Due To Complete Blockage Of Left Carotid?

Hi XXXXXXX,
Thank you for asking these questions. I like people who ask questions, as the answers may improve the quality of their and their family member's lives.
Regarding your current question, the complete blockage of left carotid reduces the blood supply to left side of brain. So, TIA and stroke can occur with complete blockage.
However, the stroke severity is less in your husband's case, as some amount of blood is reaching the left side of brain from the right carotid side due to collateral branches, as explained yesterday.
Please get back if any more queries are there.
Best wishes,
Dr Sudhir Kumar MD DM (Neurology)