Introduction - Microsurgery: Advances, Simulations, and Applications - page 3

in Chapter 2. Catheter treatments are categorized into embolism and
vascular reconstruction. Embolism is a treatment for aneurysm and
cerebral arteriovenous malformation, where diseases are treated by
blocking the blood low in a speciic vasculature area. For treating
brain cancer, the blood vessel that irrigates the cancer cells is blocked
during the treatment. In case of arterial aneurysms, a platinum coil
is deployed inside the aneurysm to prevent the entrance of the blood
low and hemorrhage.
Angioplasty is a method of dilating the blood vessel by inserting
a balloon catheter and swelling the narrowed area with the balloon,
and improving the blood stream. In this case, a self-expandable
metallic cylinder called stent is deployed to prevent the shrinking of
the lumen to the original state after angioplasty.
When blood vessels are obstructed by thrombus, the blood
low can be reestablished by dissolving or removing the thrombus
using endovascular techniques. Dissolution is achieved delivering
thrombolytic drugs directly to the area to be treated in combination
with anticoagulants. During revascularization, blood low reaching
the thrombus is stopped using protection tools. Then the clots are
destroyed by specialized tools deployed using the guide catheter, and
the debris are then retrieved by suction through the guide catheter.
Figures 1.2-1.4, respectively, show the comparison before and
after the catheter treatment of cerebral aneurysm, stenosis, and
embolism.

b)

a)

Figure 1.2 (a) Fluoroscopic image of cerebral aneurysm before surgery.

(b) Fluoroscopic image of cerebral aneurysm after treatment,
contrast media circulating in the blood stream do not enter to
the aneurysm. Arrows point at the aneurysm.