Cerebrovascular Surgery

Published On 10/06/2020

In order for your brain to function properly, it needs certain nutrients and oxygen, which are delivered by blood. Cerebrovascular disease refers to a group of conditions that affect the blood vessels and blood supply to the brain.

Expert care for cerebrovascular disease

Diagnosing cerebrovascular disease requires an in-depth review of your symptoms and risk factors along with your family and medical history.

At the Methodist Neuroscience Institute, we closely examine this information to help accurately diagnose your condition and recommend the proper treatment to help manage your disease — with a goal of getting you back to living life.

Prevention and treatment options

The primary causes for cerebrovascular disease are:

  • Formation of a blood clot (cerebral thrombosis)
  • Blockage in a blood vessel (cerebral embolism)
  • Bleeding in the brain (cerebral hemorrhage)

To help prevent cerebrovascular disease, it is important keep blood and oxygen flowing to and within your brain by following healthy lifestyle recommendations:

  • Manage blood pressure
  • Maintain healthy weight
  • Eat nutritious foods — avoid those high in cholesterol and saturated fat
  • Be physically active and exercise regularly
  • Don’t smoke
  • Control conditions like diabetes

Treatment for cerebrovascular disease can include lifestyle changes, medication and/or surgery. The Methodist Neuroscience Institute is home to some of the most highly skilled neurosurgeons in the region.

If your treatment plan includes surgery, your team of experienced neurosurgeons offers cerebrovascular surgical procedures including:

Endovascular surgery — An approach to treat problems affecting blood vessels

Embolization using coils, stents and other devices — A technique to prevent blood from reaching an aneurysm

Microsurgery — A surgical technique that requires the use of a microscope to perform surgery on small or delicate areas of the body

Mechanical thrombolysis — A procedure to remove or disrupt a blood clot

Intra-arterial thrombolysis — A type of therapy that is used to dissolve clots in the blood vessels and arteries

Stereotactic radiosurgery — Not actually “surgery” but radiation therapy used to treat tumors

What to expect from cerebrovascular surgery

During surgery, blood vessels that supply the brain with oxygen are surgically repaired.

Minimally invasive surgery

Minimally invasive cerebrovascular surgery uses a small incision and advanced imaging techniques. There are several advantages to minimally invasive surgery, including:

    • Minimal blood loss
    • Reduced risk of complications
    • Shorter length of time at the hospital
    • Lower costs

Endoscopic techniques and surgical approaches

In an endoscopic approach, surgeons uses natural pathways — like your sinuses — to reach blood vessels in the brain.

Learn more about cerebrovascular disease

Although there are many symptoms for cerebrovascular disease, consider immediate medical attention if you experience:

  • Sudden and severe headaches
  • Paralysis or weakness of one side of the body
  • Difficulty communicating, including slurred speech
  • Loss of vision on one side
  • Loss of balance

At the Methodist Neuroscience Institute, specially trained neurosurgeons diagnose and treat cerebrovascular conditions, including:

Arteriovenous fistula — An abnormal connection between a vein and artery

Arteriovenous malformation (AVM) — An abnormal tangle of arteries and veins, usually in the brain or spine

Carotid stenosis — A narrowing of a carotid artery, which carries blood from the heart to the brain

Cerebral aneurysm — A weakened area of a blood vessel in the brain that bulges and fills with blood

Hemorrhagic stroke — A type of stroke resulting from a bleed in the brain, often created by an aneurysm or AVM

Intracranial stenosis — A narrowing of an artery in the brain

Ischemic stroke — A common type of stroke caused by a blood clot blocking the supply of blood to the brain

Subarachnoid hemorrhage — A bleeding in the brain, often created by an aneurysm

Transient ischemic attack — A temporary blockage of blood flow to the brain, considered a warning sign for a potential stroke

Vascular dementia — A decline in thinking skills — reasoning, planning, judgment and memory — caused by conditions that block or reduce blood flow to the brain

Vertebral artery stenosis — A narrowing of a vertebral artery, which carries blood to the spinal cord and brain