Neuroscience Treatments
Stroke
A stroke is a “brain attack” in which vital supplies of blood and oxygen to the brain are cut off. A stroke happens when an artery leading to or in the brain becomes blocked or ruptures. These arteries can be blocked by blood clots (formed in the heart or elsewhere in the body) or by the gradual build-up of plaque and other fatty deposits. Brain arteries can rupture when weak spots on the blood vessel wall break.
Stroke is the nation's third leading killer and the primary cause of adult disability. The sooner medical treatment starts after stroke symptoms begin, the better the chances for survival and successful rehabilitation and recovery.
Brain Attack
A newer term for a stroke, indicating that it affects the brain, strikes suddenly and without warning, and requires immediate attention.
TPA
TPA is a thrombolytic or a “Clot Buster” drug. This clot buster is used to break-up the clot that is causing a blockage or disruption in the flow of blood to the brain and helps restore the blood flow to the area of the brain. It is given by intravenous (IV), not by mouth. The best chance of a full recovery from a stroke caused by a blocked artery is with the use of TPA.
Carotid Stenting
Carotid artery stenting is a procedure in which a vascular surgeon inserts a slender, metal-mesh tube (a stent) into a carotid artery blocked by plaque buildup. The stent expands to increase blood flow through the artery.
Plaque typically builds up in the walls of your arteries as you age, causing the arteries to narrow and stiffen. This can lead to reduced blood flow, or cause blood clots or pieces of plaque to break away and block arteries in the brain, since the carotid arteries (located in the neck) carry blood directly to the brain.
Using a stent is an alternative to removing the plaque surgically. Essentially, the stent acts as a brace, or scaffolding, to hold the artery open and allow for unobstructed blood flow.
PFO and VSD Closures
These are holes in the heart’s walls. Patent Foramen Ovales (PFOs) are tiny holes in the wall of muscles separating the upper chambers of the heart. These defects are estimated to be present in one out of every 10 American adults, and are the most prevalent cause of strokes in those under the age of 35. A PFO results from incomplete closure of the upper septum (the wall of muscle separating the two sides of the heart) shortly after birth, and frequently does undiagnosed until later in life.
To close a PFO, specialist implants in the heart a device that resembles two miniature umbrellas. Attached to a catheter and advanced to the heart, the flexible arms of the double-umbrella device open toward each other and then attach to either side of the defective heart wall, sealing the hole.
A very similar procedure is used to repair Ventricular Septal Defects (VSDs), which are ruptures of the lower septum. The same type of double-umbrella device is introduced into the heart by a catheter, inserted through a needle hole in the patient’s neck. The flaps of the umbrella deploy on either side of the breached septum and seal the hole.