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Surgery is an effective deterrent against stroke, according to a new study by the National Institutes of Health. Health officials said today surgery that removes fatty deposits narrowing the carotid arteries can cut the risk of stroke by 55 percent when compared with patients who are treated only with aspirin, the other touted medication. "The study has the potential of improving the health and quality of life for thousands of Americans," said Zach W. Hall, director of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, a NIH agency. About 150,000 Americans are killed annually by stroke. About 75 percent of these strokes are attributed to narrowed carotid arteries.