Long term
Carotid endarterectomy
Draft — pending clinical reviewThe plaque was removed from your neck artery to prevent stroke; your wound has been checked and is healing.
About this treatment →About the condition →Also for this procedure: Day of discharge →
Where you are now
The early recovery is done. This page covers the weeks and months ahead, and the ongoing steps that keep protecting you from stroke.
Pain and medication
You should need little regular pain relief now. It is important to keep taking your prescribed blood-thinning and cholesterol medicines long term — they, along with not smoking, are what keep your stroke risk low. [VERIFY]
Your dressings & stockings
The wound should be healed. The scar continues to soften and fade over the following months; numbness around it recovers slowly. [VERIFY]
Moving and activity
- Walking
- Stay active with regular walking — good for your heart and circulation.
- Driving
- You may drive again once the required waiting period has passed and you feel well. [VERIFY]
- Work
- Return to work as your recovery allows; discuss physical roles with your surgeon. [VERIFY]
- Exercise
- Build back to your normal exercise as you are advised. [VERIFY]
- Flying
- Flying is generally fine again once you are recovered. [VERIFY]
When will I be back to normal?
Most people feel back to normal within a few weeks. Neck stiffness and scar numbness keep improving over months. [VERIFY]
What is normal
- A fading scar and slowly recovering numbness around it.
- Occasional neck tightness that eases over time.
What is not normal — contact us
Contact the clinic if you notice any of these:
- The scar becoming newly red, hot, swollen or discharging.
- A new lump or swelling in the neck. [VERIFY]
- Return of any stroke-warning symptoms — get seen urgently.
Emergency — go to hospital now
Call an ambulance or go to the nearest hospital emergency department straight away if you have:
- Signs of a stroke — face drooping, arm or leg weakness, or slurred speech. FAST — call emergency services immediately.
- Sudden loss of vision in one eye.
- Chest pain, sudden breathlessness, or collapse.
Your follow-up
You will have periodic ultrasound scans of the neck arteries to check the repair and the other side. [VERIFY the schedule]
Questions?
If anything worries you or you are unsure, it is always better to ask. Message the clinic on WhatsApp.