Interventional neurovascular techniques in the treatment of stroke - state-of-the-art therapy

Interventional neurovascular techniques for the treatment of patients presenting with symptoms of acute or impending stroke, are now being utilized with increasing frequency in three major areas. (i) For patients presenting with cerebrovascular ischaemic symptoms due to haemodynamically significant stenosis from atherosclerosis, vasculitis, intimal hyperplasia, and dissection, cerebral percutaneous transluminal angioplasty has been shown to be beneficial for both extracranial and intracranial disease. (ii) Patients with acute, embolic occlusion of the internal carotid, middle cerebral, distal vertebral, and basilar arteries have been successfully treated by placement of microcatheters directly into the thrombus with successful thrombolysis, recanalization, and reperfusion to the distal ischemic brain. (iii) Acute arterial vasospasm secondary to subarachnoid haemorrhage is now being managed by balloon angioplasty in those instances where conventional medical therapy has failed. These techniques are altering our current management and broadening the therapeutic alternatives for patients who present with acute cerebrovascular insufficiency and stroke in evolution. As wider experience is gained in these techniques, the clinical indications for their use will also broaden.