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StrokeSense : Diagnosis and Treatment

Surgical Options

You Can Help Yourself

Methods of Diagnosis

Medications

Surgical Options

Rehabilitation

Alternative / Complementary Therapies

In some cases, surgery is necessary to prevent or treat stroke. Surgery also may repair vascular damage or irregular formations in and around the brain.

  • Carotid endarterectomy. To prevent stroke, a carotid endarterectomy is performed to remove fatty deposits (plaque) from the carotid arteries. A recent study found that the procedure is safe and effective for stroke prevention among high-risk patients.
  • Coronary angioplasty. During this procedure, a surgeon threads a thin tube through an artery to the narrowed heart vessel and inflates a small balloon at the tube's tip. The balloon flattens the fatty deposits in the artery and lengthens the artery to increase blood flow. The balloon is then deflated and removed, along with the tube.
  • Stenting. Another procedure currently being evaluated for its effectiveness in combating stenosis (the blockage of an artery from plaque buildup) is stenting. After coronary angioplasty, a surgeon inserts a small thin tube into the artery to help prop it open.
  • Revascularization. This process is used to treat aneurysms or blocked cerebral arteries. The surgeon provides a new source of blood flow to the brain by creating another vessel to replace a cerebral artery.
  • Endovascular treatments. This technique, used to treat aneurysm, is a new procedure that's beneficial for people who aren't able to undergo surgery. A surgeon inserts platinum coils through a catheter into the aneurysm to reduce its size. This procedure makes it easier for physicians to perform microsurgery or radiation treatment. In some cases, the aneurysm can be cured with endovascular treatment alone.

References

  1. Carotid Endarterectomy, American Heart Association, 2002.
  2. Angioplasty and Vascular Stenting, Radiological Society of North America, Oct. 1, 2001.
  3. Endovascular Embolization or Coiling, Brain Aneurysm Foundation, 2002.
  4. Interventional Radiology Procedures for Treatment and Prevention of Stroke, Society of Interventional Radiology, 2003.

Source of Material: RockHill Communications, 14 Rock Hill Road Bala, Cynwyd, PA 19004, (610) 667-2040,
Writer: Christine Norris
Editors: Erin Murphy, Andrea King, Joanne Poeggel, Ron Wozny
Clinical Reviewer: Patt Panzer, M.D.
Date Written: 4/30/01
Last Revised: 4/3/03