Recovery after carotid endarterectomy: week by week

The durations given are those printed in two NHS trust leaflets, and they are ranges rather than promises. Your surgeon, ward or vascular unit knows your circumstances, so follow their advice if it differs from this timeline.

Some hospitals use general anaesthetic and others use local anaesthetic with sedation, which changes the first day. The operation and the reasons for it are covered in our procedure page, and this page focuses on recovery.

Durations are those stated by two NHS trusts and vary.

After the operation you are watched closely, with regular checks of your blood pressure, pulse and neurological function such as arm strength and speech. One trust describes an overnight stay on a recovery ward with continuous monitoring. A neck drain may be in place and is usually removed the next day. You are encouraged to sit up and walk.

Most people go home after one night or after one to two nights, depending on the hospital and how you are. Before discharge you should be told how to care for the wound, which medicines to continue, such as an antiplatelet and a statin, and who to ring.

The incision runs along the side of the neck and is closed with dissolving stitches. A trust says you can bathe and shower as normal once the wound is dry. Expect swelling, a firm ridge, bruising and stiffness, and numbness of the skin near the cut or under the jaw, which is common. Hoarseness or a changed voice can occur, and swallowing may feel odd for a short while.

Contact the vascular unit if swelling is increasing, if you have a persistent headache, or if the wound becomes red, hot or sore. A rapidly enlarging neck swelling, or any difficulty breathing or swallowing, is an emergency and needs 999.

Driving: one trust says you can drive when you can safely perform an emergency stop, usually 2 to 3 weeks after surgery, and another says when you are pain-free, in control of the vehicle and able to turn your neck enough to look around. The DVLA guidance says anyone unable to control a vehicle safely for any reason must not drive, and that ignoring medical advice may affect insurance. If your surgery followed a stroke or TIA, there are separate DVLA rules for that event, so check them.

Work: one trust says 2 to 3 weeks, another 2 to 4 weeks off, returning when you feel comfortable. Begin with short walks combined with rest, then build up gradually; avoid heavy lifting and straining until your wound has settled, as your team advises.

The operation reduces the chance of a stroke from the treated artery, but the underlying disease remains. Your team will usually continue medicines for blood pressure, cholesterol and platelet stickiness, and encourage stopping smoking, regular exercise and a balanced diet. A follow-up scan or clinic review is commonly arranged.

The same disease can affect the other carotid and other arteries, so keeping appointments and medicines matters even when you feel well.

Call 999 straight away for sudden weakness or drooping of the face, arm or leg, slurred speech, loss of vision in one eye, sudden confusion, or severe headache. Time matters in a stroke. The same applies to a fast-growing neck swelling or difficulty breathing.

Ring the vascular ward or NHS 111 for fever, wound discharge, redness, or increasing pain. Contact your GP for ongoing numbness or voice changes that are not settling.