Houston Methodist Clear Lake’s new procedure cuts stroke risk

August 31st, 2020

Dr. Joseph Naoum

Houston Methodist Clear Lake Hospital is among the first in Clear Lake area to treat carotid artery disease and prevent future strokes using a new procedure called TransCarotid Artery Revascularization (TCAR). TCAR (tee-kahr) is a clinically proven, minimally invasive and safe approach for patients who need carotid artery treatment.

Carotid artery disease is a form of atherosclerosis, or a buildup of plaque, in the main arteries in the neck that supply oxygen-rich blood to the brain. If left untreated, carotid artery disease can often lead to stroke; it is estimated to be the source of stroke in up to a third of cases, with 427,000 new diagnoses of the disease made every year in the U.S. alone.

“TCAR is an important new option in the fight against stroke and is particularly suited for the large portion of patients we see who are at higher risk of complications from carotid surgery due to anatomy, or other medical conditions,” said Dr. Joseph Naoum, vascular and endovascular surgeon at Houston Methodist Clear Lake Hospital. “Because of its low stroke risk and faster patient recovery, I believe TCAR represents the future of carotid repair for many patients.”

TCAR is unique in that blood flow is temporarily reversed during the procedure so that any small bits of plaque that may break off are diverted away from the brain, preventing a stroke from happening. A stent is then placed inside the artery to stabilize the plaque, treat the narrowing and minimize the risk of a future stroke.

The TCAR procedure was developed by Sunnyvale, California-based Silk Road Medical, Inc. and includes the ENROUTE® Transcarotid Neuroprotection (NPS) and Stent System – the first devices designed and FDA-approved specifically for TCAR. Over 10,000 TCAR procedures have been performed worldwide through clinical trial and commercial use. TCAR has been studied extensively and the clinical data has been excellent. Additional information about TCAR is available at silkroadmed.com/disease-and-treatment-options.

Dr. Naoum offices at Houston Methodist Cardiovascular Surgery Associates at Clear Lake located at 2060 Space Park Drive, Suite 112 on the hospital campus. To learn more about Dr. Naoum or to schedule an appointment, call 281.523.2363.

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Houston Methodist Clear Lake honored for stroke care

July 22nd, 2019

The American Heart Association recently recognized Houston Methodist Clear Lake Hospital for its excellence in stroke care.

Houston Methodist Clear Lake was awarded the AHA’s Get With The Guidelines/Gold Plus Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus Quality Achievement Award – a national honor presented to hospitals that meet strict quality measures related to stro

ke diagnosis, treatment and care.

Because time is critical in stroke care, AHA’s Get With The Guidelines: Stroke program gives hospitals research-based guidelines for the rapid diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients, reducing the possibility of disability or death and allowing for a faster, more complete recovery. The program also works to ensure that hospitals provide patients with education and assistance to manage their health and prevent recurrent stroke.

“This is a significant honor because it recognizes the ongoing efforts our physicians and staff make to improve the quality of care for stroke patients,” said Dan Newman, CEO of Houston Methodist Clear Lake. “The use of evidence-based clinical guidelines developed to improve patient outcomes is making a significant difference in stroke care across the country, and we are committed to continuing to improve and enhance not just the immediate care we provide when a patient presents, but ongoing care and education to ensure that patients can resume a high quality of life following their stroke and minimize their future risks.”

To qualify for the honor, Houston Methodist Clear Lake met a variety of quality measures designed to reduce the time between a patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with alteplase, a clot-buster tissue plasminogen activator.

According to the AHA, stroke is the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability in the United States. On average, someone in the U.S. suffers a stroke every 40 seconds and nearly 795,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year.

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