An amazing intraoperative image during a carotid endarterectomy procedure!That's a surgical procedure to open or clean the carotid artery with the goal of stroke prevention.It must be emphasized that the procedure does not cure but is more of a temporary treatment due to the fact that blockage can accumulate again, which rarely happens. The carotid artery has been isolated and a shunt has been inserted to maintain blood flow. The atherosclerotic plaque will then be removed along with the inner layer of the vessel wall to restore patency and arterial flow to the brain.