Emergency Treatment
Clot-busting drugs, called tissue plasminogen activators (TPA) are administered in the emergency room to restore blood flow to the affected area of the brain. These drugs are only effective during the first three hours, so it's critical you respond to the very first sign of a stroke.

Carotid Endarterectomy
This surgical treatment is the gold standard for vascular repairs. A specially trained vascular surgeon removes the lining of the affected area. While all surgeries carry some degree of risk, this could lower your stroke risk by up to 75 percent.

Balloon Angioplasty and Stent Placement
This minimally invasive surgery allows surgeons to repair obstructions of arteries in the arms or legs. First, your surgeon will insert a small tube, called a catheter, through a major blood vessel to the point of the obstruction. They will then insert a small filter and an expandable stent. When they inflate the balloon, the obstruction is crushed, the stent expanded, and the filter cleans out the remaining particles.

Meet Vascular Surgeon Paul Christenberry, MD, FACS
Board certified in vascular and general surgery, Dr. Christenberry is one of only 42 board certified vascular surgeons in our state. He received his medical degree from University of South Alabama School of Medicine in Mobile, AL, where he also completed his internship and residency. Additionally, Dr. Christenberry completed a vascular surgery fellowship at Carolinas Medical Center's Sanger Clinic in Charlotte, NC.