NEUROLOGY
Cleveland Clinic Martin Health Uses Advanced
Device to Treat Brain Aneurysms
An estimated 6.5 million people in the
United States, or 1 in 50 people, have an
unruptured brain aneurysm – a weakening
of a blood vessel wall that allows it to
balloon out. If an aneurysm ruptures,
the bleeding in the brain can cause
stroke, coma, brain damage and death.
Ruptured brain aneurysms are fatal in
about 50% of cases, while the majority
of survivors suffer some permanent
neurological deficit.
According to Jeffrey Miller, MD,
an endovascular neurosurgeon with
Cleveland Clinic Martin Health, caring
for patients with an unruptured brain
aneurysm has advanced significantly
in the past decade, largely due to the development
of new medical devices and minimally invasive
techniques that provide an alternative to traditional
open surgery.
One of the newest treatment options
for aneurysms is a minimally invasive
technique called flow diversion.
“Today we can treat most aneurysms using
catheter-based techniques from inside the blood
vessel,” says Dr. Miller. “Instead of going home with
a shaved scalp and large scar, many patients go home
with a small bandage on their groin or wrist.”
Treatment innovation
One of the newest treatment options for aneurysms
is a minimally invasive technique called flow diversion,
in which blood flow is re-routed to take pressure off the
bulging vessel wall.
“We use a catheter to place a soft, flexible mesh tube
at the base of the aneurysm,” explains Dr. Miller. “This
immediately lessens some of the blood flow, but over time
new cells grow on the stent, sealing off the aneurysm
from circulation and allowing it to shrink naturally.”
The original flow diversion device was approved to
treat patients in the United States in 2011, and it has
since gone through a series of advancements to improve
patient outcomes. Dr. Miller is the first neurosurgeon in
Florida to use the newest generation of the device. It was
approved by the FDA last year and is designed to reduce
the potential development of stroke-causing blood clots,
making it safer for patients.
Aneurysm symptoms
While most aneurysms are symptomless, some
become large enough to press on neighboring brain
structures. This can cause headache, dilated pupils,
blurred or double vision, loss of balance and speech
problems. Symptoms of a ruptured aneurysm include
a sudden, debilitating headache along with nausea,
vomiting, a stiff neck and loss of consciousness. This is a
medical emergency and requires an urgent call to 9-1-1.
TALK WITH AN EXPERT.
Cleveland Clinic Martin Health is home to a multidisciplinary team specializing
in the treatment and management of cerebrovascular disease, including
brain aneurysms. Call 844.630.4968 to schedule an appointment or visit
ClevelandClinicFlorida.org/stroke to learn more.
Jeffrey Miller, MD
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