Carotid artery stenosis is obstruction of the carotid artery, usually by atheroma (a fatty lump, the result of atherosclerosis). It may result in transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) and cerebrovascular accidents (CVAs) as it obstructs to bloodstream to the brain and generates emboli (blood clots) that obstruct the cerebral arteries. In human anatomy, the carotid artery is a major artery of the head and neck. ... An atheroma (plural: atheromata) is an abnormal inflammatory accumulation of macrophage white blood cells within the walls of arteries. ... Transient ischemic attacks (TIA) are caused by temporary disturbance of blood supply to a restricted area of brain and cause recurrent and brief (less than 24 hours) neurologic dysfunctions. ... A stroke or cerebrovascular accident (CVA) occurs when the blood supply to a part of the brain is suddenly interrupted by occlusion (an ischemic stroke- approximately 90% of strokes), by hemorrhage (a hemorrhagic stroke - less than 10% of strokes) or other causes. ... Comparative brain sizes In animals, the brain, or encephalon (Greek for in the head), is the control center of the central nervous system. ... In medicine, an embolism occurs when an object (the embolus, plural emboli) migrates from one part of the body (through the circulation) and cause(s) a blockage (occlusion) of a blood vessel in another part of the body. ...

If asymptomatic (causing no medical problems), carotid stenosis is generally monitored. If it leads to problems, carotid endarterectomy (surgical removal of the atheroma) may be performed. In medicine, a disease is asymptomatic when it is at a stage where the patient does not experience symptoms. ... Carotid entarterectomy is a surgical procedure used to correct carotid stenosis (obstruction of the carotid artery by atheroma), used particularly when this causes medical problems, such as transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) or cerebrovascular accidents (CVAs, strokes). ...