What Kind of Doctor Performs Surgery on the Carotid Artery?

A vascular surgeon performs surgery on the carotid artery--either a carotid endarterectomy or angioplasty--to help rid the artery of plaque buildup or blockages. Vascular surgeons undergo years of focused training to become specialists in vascular problems.

Education and training

• Vascular surgeons attend four years of college and four years of medical school. There are four different pathways they can take to finish their training. They can complete five years of a general surgery residency followed by two years of a vascular surgery residency; four years of early specialization training in general surgery followed by two years of vascular surgery residency at the same institution; three years of general surgery followed by three years of vascular surgery; or five years of a vascular surgery residency program.

Certification

• After completing their education and training, vascular surgeons can sit for the certification examination given by the American Board of Surgery. Depending on the training path they took, vascular surgeons can sit for the general surgery examination, vascular surgery examination or both.

Where they work

• Vascular surgeons work in community hospitals, academic teaching hospitals, freestanding surgical centers and group practices. Some communities also have vascular surgery centers, staffed by vascular surgeons and specially trained nurses to help patients with specific vascular problems, such as carotid artery surgery.

What they treat

• In addition to problems of the carotid artery, vascular surgeons treat problems of the circulatory system--those affecting arteries and veins. Varicose veins, blocked arteries, embolisms, deep vein thrombosis, aneurysms and vascular problems of diabetic patients are among the conditions vascular surgeons treat.

Find a vascular surgeon

• Finding a vascular surgeon is easy, thanks to resources developed by the Society for Vascular Surgery. The society's website features a search tool that enables patients to find a nearby vascular surgeon.