The carotid artery is a major blood vessel that brings blood from the heart, through the neck, to the brain.  If this artery is partially or completed blocked (“stenosed”), it could cause a stroke.  But in some patients, it is possible to bypass the blockage, allowing an adequate flow of blood to the brain and preventing strokes from recurring.

Carotid bypass procedures are also used following complex operations in or near the brain to allow blood flow to the brain when normal routes have been altered by the surgery.