HERSHEY — A Penn State Health physician in Centre County is now offering a minimally invasive option to treat carotid artery disease. Through a partnership with Mount Nittany Health, Dr. Eugene Simoni, a vascular surgeon, is now performing transcarotid artery revascularization (TCAR) at Mount Nittany Medical Center.
The two carotid arteries — located on both sides of the neck — carry oxygen-rich blood to the brain. If they become blocked with plaque or if some of the plaque travels to the brain, that can cause a stroke.
TCAR protects the brain during surgery by rerouting blood from the carotid artery to the femoral artery in the thigh, with the blood flowing through a filter to prevent debris from reaching the brain while doctors insert stents into the artery in the neck. TCAR involves less time under anesthesia than traditional surgery, with smaller incisions and a quicker recovery time.
“Offering this new minimally invasive treatment option for patients with carotid artery blockage advances patient care by dramatically reducing the risk of stroke, heart attack and nerve damage during and after carotid interventions,” Simoni said.
Penn State Health physicians are able to admit patients and use Mount Nittany Health’s Medical Center services after going through a stringent credentialing process. This collaboration allows for Mount Nittany Health and Penn State Health to work together to provide a range of state-of-the-art vascular surgery options for patients in the Centre County region.
“Mount Nittany Health values our collaboration with Penn State Health. This partnership enables the greater Centre County community to receive best-in-class care close to home,” said Dr. Upendra Thaker, chief medical officer at Mount Nittany Medical Center.
Procedures are conducted in Mount Nittany Health’s Cardiovascular Pavilion, a 26,000-square-foot, state-ofthe-art heart care facility that includes two flex-designed labs that can be used for both cardiovascular and electrophysiology procedures and an electrocardiogram exam room that features new imaging and monitoring technology. Mount Nittany Health’s Cardiac Catheterization Lab has full accreditation through Accreditation for Cardiovascular Excellence, regarded as a gold standard for quality care.
More information about TCAR and its availability in Centre County can be found at pshcc.org/TCAR.
Penn State Health physicians also perform TCAR at the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in Hershey and St. Joseph Medical Center in Reading.
