Information for the public
What has NICE said?
This procedure is safe enough and works well enough for use in the NHS. Some serious complications are possible, but these are rare.
The procedure should only be carried out in hospitals that can deal quickly with complications needing heart surgery.
What does this mean for me?
Your doctor should fully explain what is involved in having this procedure and discuss the possible benefits and risks with you. You should also be told how to find more information about the procedure. All of this should happen before you decide whether you want to have this procedure or not.
If you decide to have the procedure your health professional might ask you if your details can be included in a database.
Other comments from NICE
NICE said that the procedure is at least as effective as drug treatment for preventing stroke and transient ischaemic attack, and may be even more effective. Patients should be able to decide if they want to have this procedure based on the risks and benefits compared with drug treatment.
NICE also said that it's not certain if it's useful to use drugs that reduce the risk of blood clots forming after the procedure, or for how long.