Prevent stroke
The implantation of a tiny, mesh-like metal tube (stent) in a narrowed blood vessel in the brain may be at risk patients before a stroke preserve. This has led an international study showed that in the department of neuroradiology of the Neurological University Clinic Heidelberg coordinates and in the journal “Stroke” is published.
The innovative stent system “Wingspan” (made by Boston Scientific) was established in a global study in 17 centers with a total of 45 patients on its efficacy and risks of testing. The leadership of the study was Professor Marius Hartmann, director of the Interventional Neuroradiology Section of the Department of Neuroradiology at the University Hospital of Heidelberg.
Patients who participated in the study had already suffered mild strokes, drugs, the blood is diluted, they have brought no improvement. By contrast, the implantation of the stent is very effective: At the beginning of the study was on average 75 percent of the vascular lumen of narrowed brain artery narrowed by atherosclerosis, six months after implantation, it was still 28 percent and the re-narrowing rate (relapse Stenoserate) was only 7 , 5 per cent. Only one patient died in the weeks after treatment, and two suffered a stroke.
Even the temporary use of stents, which actually narrowed in coronary vessels may be used, was less successful. The scientists even believe that these rigid stents the course of the disease rather negative influence. The “Wingspan” stent delivery system, however, is specifically designed for use in the brain have been developed. The stent has a very small diameter and is extremely flexible. This allows the skull inside confined spaces are treated with the previously used cardiovascular stents were unattainable.
The Wingspan Stent System consists of two components, a plastic tube (catheter), which at one end carries a balloon, through which the artery is expanded. Therefore, the catheter was introduced into the narrow and slowly inflated. The second component, the stent is a tiny, mesh-like metal tube, the catheter is located. The catheter is inserted into the vessel and into the narrowed area of particular mention, in the extended narrow the stent, which is unfolded by itself, is released and the receptacle for the blood flow kept open. “By using these flexible, self-expandable stents, the number of complications, such as violations of the cerebral vessels, are reduced,” explains Professor Hartmann. In 10 percent of patients with stroke is a brain vessel narrows
“ From the new therapy will benefit patients who repeatedly circulatory disturbances in the brain or suffer a stroke, which cause a narrowing of a blood vessel in the brain,” explains Professor Hartmann. About 10 percent of stroke patients are affected. The vasoconstriction can non-invasively with a special ultrasound examination of the skull found with the help of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) also be assessed in detail.
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