Cerebral Embloization / Coiling

Embolism is the lodging of a blockage-causing material inside a blood vessel. This blockage can be pathological, caused by blood clots, cholesterol plaque or crystals, fat globules, gas bubbles, or foreign material in the bloodstream. An arterial embolism may result in serious consequences as the blood flow gets restricted and is one of the major causes of infarction, and tissue death. It is particularly threatening to the brain, as an emboli emanating from the heart or carotid artery can cause stroke due to ischemia. In some cases, aneurysms caused by embolism may also rupture, causing further complications for the patients. Embolization is a minimally invasive endovascular surgical procedure to correct this condition.

• The position of the blockage is identified using Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA)
• Catheters are then used to gain access to the affected region
• Depending on the condition, the surgeon may recommend coil embolization, where a soft metal coil is moved through the catheter and placed into the aneurysm, thereby filling it and reducing the risk of rupture
• Another technique used by surgeons is clipping, that involves placing a small metal clip at the base of the aneurysm to isolate it from the blood circulation in the affected vessel, thereby decreasing the risk of rupture
• The physician will judge the situation, the location of the aneurysm, its size and the patient’s general health before making the decision to employ one of these techniques to perform an embolization procedure