How is it done?
The procedure could be done under general anesthetic or a regional anesthetic called a neck nerve block. A general anesthetic will relax muscles, puts the patient in deep sleep, but recovery is prolonged. With the neck block, patient is awake but will feel no pain. The surgeon makes a cut (incision) in neck and exposes the artery. A cut is made in the artery and atherosclerotic plaque, the blockage is removed.

The surgeon then repairs the artery and closes the incision in neck with stitches.