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1. What is a stroke?

When we say stroke, we mean a vascular stroke, which is essentially a sudden, sudden disruption of brain function, which is due to a vascular disease.

It can be either a rupture of an artery, causing bleeding, in which case we are talking about a hemorrhagic stroke, or a blockage of an artery, in which case we are talking about an ischemic stroke.

Strokes are the first cause of disability in adults and the third cause of death. It is a common condition and it is characteristic that one in six people will have a stroke during their lifetime.

When it comes to bleeding in the brain, which is usually due to the rupture of a cerebral aneurysm, the main characteristic symptom is an unprecedented, very severe headache, which the patient immediately perceives as something serious.

When it comes to an ischemic stroke, then the usual symptoms are weakness in the leg, arm or face on one side of the body, speech disorder, visual disturbance or instability and balance disorder.

2. What symptoms should mobilize us immediately?

When one of the above symptoms appears, the patient should immediately seek medical intervention in an organized Stroke Unit.

3. What is the role of an Interventional Neuroradiologist?

The interventional neuroradiologist is a medical specialty that deals with the endovascular treatment of diseases of the brain’s vessels. Its characteristic advantage is that it approaches the lesion through the vessels themselves, without a surgical incision.

Thus, whether in the case of a hemorrhagic stroke or in the case of an ischemic stroke, there is the possibility, through the leg artery, of advancing special devices with which we approach the lesion and treat the disease.

4. What is brain aneurysm embolization?

Brain aneurysm embolization is an endovascular procedure used to treat aneurysms that have either ruptured and caused bleeding or have been discovered incidentally during a check-up.

In ruptured aneurysms, treatment must be performed within the first twenty-four hours, as there is a significant risk of the aneurysm rebleeding.

Through the leg artery and under general anesthesia, we approach the aneurysm and manage to occlude it, placing special embolic materials inside the aneurysm sac.

In recent years, there has been significant progress in the materials used for aneurysm embolization, so that we can now treat almost all aneurysms.

5. What is thrombectomy?

Thrombectomy is one of the greatest developments in medicine worldwide in the last decade. Essentially, it enables the treatment of patients who have had an ischemic stroke, i.e. blockage of a large artery in the brain.

In the first hours after the onset of symptoms, we can intravascularly approach the point of blockage and, by removing the clot, restore blood flow to the brain.

This results in a fivefold chance of functional recovery and a fivefold reduction in the chance of death.

By applying this treatment, one in two patients who will be treated can have a significant improvement in their recovery, while one in five patients can have a full recovery and a normal life after the stroke.

The treatment of a ruptured aneurysm must be performed within the first twenty-four hours. For thrombectomy, the time window in which the procedure has the best results is very limited. Ideally, it should be performed within the first six hours of the onset of symptoms.

In recent years, important studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of the method even up to 24 hours after the onset of symptoms. However, what we must keep in mind is that the sooner the intervention is performed, the better the outcome of the procedure.