Our Interventional Neurology team provides a minimally invasive, endovascular approach to treating strokes, aneurysms, and neurovascular diseases of the brain and spine. Using catheters and radiology, our interventional neurologists perform minimally invasive procedures, such as stent placement and embolization.
These procedures are performed under the guidance of advanced X-ray monitors. Recent advances in imaging capabilities enable our highly-trained interventional neurologists to treat blocked arteries of the brain by removing, breaking-up, or even sucking out the blood clot.
Our facility has invested millions of dollars in the latest neurointerventional equipment and devices. With the assistance of this equipment, our physicians are dedicated to saving lives and allowing patients to return to a normal life, in some cases without any loss of function.
At St. Mary’s Medical Center, the following endovascular procedures are available:
Thrombolytic therapy - This procedure uses the clot busting drug called IV tPA (intravenous tissue plasminogen activator) to treat qualifying acute ischemic stroke patients.
Endovascular Coiling (Embolization) - This procedure is used to treat brain aneurysms at risk for rupturing. Our Interventional Neurologist inserts a catheter into a groin artery and uses advanced imaging to guide the catheter into the affected brain artery. A coil, thin metal wire shaped like a spring, is deployed into the artery, blocking blood flow into a brain aneurysm.The coil is left in place permanently in the aneurysm.
Cerebral angiography (Angiogram) - This procedure allows our Interventional Neurologists view how blood is flowing within the brain. Our Interventional Neurologist inserts a catheter into a large blood vessel and injects contrast dye. The contrast dye causes the blood vessels to appear on the X-ray image.
Carotid artery angioplasty/stenting - This procedure is used to treat carotid artery stenosis. Carotid artery stenosis is the narrowing in one or both of the carotid arteries caused by the buildup of plaque on the inside of the artery. During this procedure, our Interventional Neurologists inserts a catheter into a groin artery and guides the catheter to the affected carotid artery in your neck. A small balloon at the tip of the catheter is then inflated to clear the passage way. In some cases, a stent (tiny mesh tube) may be placed in the affected to area to keep the artery open.
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