Dr. Seemant Chaturvedi, director of Wayne State University's School of Medicine Stroke Program, comments in a story about new guidelines for carotid endarterectomy, a surgical procedure to remove fatty deposits inside one or both of a person's neck arteries. About 170,000 Americans each year undergo the traditional operation, which can significantly reduce a person's risk of a stroke. Chaturvedi, who headed the team of experts who wrote the guidelines for the American Academy of Neurology, says as many as 6 percent of people with severe blockages die or develop a stroke as a result of the surgery. \"The key messages are that people with stroke symptoms\" in the past three to six months, \"benefit more from surgery than those without,\" Chaturvedi said. \"The other is that drug management is preferred in those with no symptoms and a blockage of less than 60%.\"