The Department of Neurosurgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital offers a wide range of endovascular diagnostics and treatments for the brain and spinal cord. These are performed by a multidisciplinary team of expert surgeons who offer minimally invasive, image-guided techniques to treat patients for whom conventional surgical techniques have not been successful or do not exist.
Conditions and Disorders
Our Endovascular/Interventional Neuroradiology service treats a variety of cerebrovascular diseases (disorders of the blood vessels of the head and neck), including:
Diagnosis and Treatment
Endovascular procedures are often used to visualize blood vessels through cerebral angiography, to open clogged or narrowed arteries, to stabilize weak and bulging vessels, or to seal specific blood vessels before surgery to minimize bleeding during the operation. Endovascular procedures are performed in the angiographic suite rather than the operating room. A multidisciplinary team of neurosurgeons, neuroradiologists, and neurologists combine their expertise and use the highest quality angiographic equipment to achieve optimal results for each individual patient. Fluoroscopy (x-rays), ultrasound (US), computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are used to guide their way through the body without making a skin incision. The tools used to perform these procedures are thin tubes (less than 1 mm in diameter) called microcatheters, which are introduced into the vascular system through the groin, arm, or neck. Basic endovascular procedures include:
- Angiography
- Balloon Angiography
- Balloon Angioplasty
- Chemoembolization
- Drain Insertions
- Embolization
- GDC Coaling
- Thrombolysis
- Biopsy
- Radiofrequency Ablation (RF/RFA)
- Venous Access
