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Interventional Neurology: Empowering Patients with Cutting-Edge Brain Interventions

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Roger
Interventional Neurology: Empowering Patients with Cutting-Edge Brain Interventions

Interventional neurology is an emerging subspecialty within neurology that utilizes minimally invasive endovascular techniques and image guidance to diagnose and treat various neurological disorders. These include conditions affecting the brain, spinal cord and nerves. Over the past decade, there has been a paradigm shift from open surgery to less invasive image-guided procedures for many neurological conditions. Interventional neurologists perform diagnostic cerebral angiography to evaluate the arteries of the brain and neck. They also conduct a variety of minimally invasive procedures such as mechanical thrombectomy to remove potentially deadly blood clots causing strokes, embolization of brain arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) and aneurysms, placement of flow diversion stents to treat complex aneurysms, angioplasty and stent placement for vertebral artery and intracranial artery stenosis, as well as pain management procedures.


Rise of Mechanical Thrombectomy


One area that has seen remarkable progress is the treatment of acute ischemic stroke caused by a large vessel occlusion in the brain. After decades of limited treatment options involving clot-busting drugs alone, mechanical thrombectomy has revolutionized stroke care and improved patient outcomes. Multiple randomized clinical trials since 2015 have demonstrated the benefits of fast transfer to comprehensive stroke centers and early mechanical clot retrieval, in addition to clot-busting drugs. This has led to updated guidelines recommending thrombectomy as standard of care for select stroke patients within 24 hours of onset of symptoms. With improved patient selection, novel stroke devices and operator experience, reperfusion and functional independence rates continue to improve for stroke patients treated with minimally invasive thrombectomy approaches.


Evolving Non-surgical Options for Brain Aneurysms


Another major application of endovascular techniques in neurology involves the treatment of brain aneurysms, weak bulges in the wall of cerebral arteries that can bleed and cause strokes. Previously, neurosurgery was the only option for managing ruptured or high-risk unruptured aneurysms. With the development of advanced endovascular coiling and flow diversion technologies, over 80% of brain aneurysms are now treated using minimally invasive approaches through the arteries of the leg rather than open skull base surgery. Placement of detachable platinum coils into aneurysms to occlude their inward projection or novel flow diverting stents to reconstruct defective arteries have significantly reduced aneurysm treatment risks and enabled safe management of complex wide-neck aneurysms previously considered untreatable. Long-term durability of these endovascular techniques continues to be investigated versus neurosurgical clipping.


Advancing Interventions for Spinal Problems


In the spine, interventional radiologists often partner with neurosurgeons and neurologists to minimally invasively treat conditions causing back and leg pain. These include decompression of narrowed spinal canals through procedures such as vertebroplasty to treat vertebral compression fractures and kyphoplasty to reconstruct collapsed vertebrae. Interventional approaches are also being evaluated to treat radiculopathy from herniated discs, canal stenosis and facet joint pain. Emerging technologies involve minimally invasive placement of intradiscal prostheses, spinal cord and nerve root stimulators, as well as vertebral augmentation using biomaterials instead of cement. Overall, these advancements aim to provide pain relief with less risk of long-term immobilization compared to traditional spine surgery.


Growing Role in Neuro-Oncology


Image-guided tumor ablation using radiofrequency, microwave or cryoenergy is also increasingly used by neurointerventionalists to palliatively treat certain primary and metastatic brain tumors deemed inoperable. These minimally invasive procedures help alleviate tumor symptoms and potentially prolong survival in select patients. Interventional techniques also assist in precise tumor biopsy sampling under imaging guidance for histological diagnosis that may obviate the need for open surgery in some cases. Emerging options involve convection-enhanced delivery of chemotherapy wafers directly into brain tumors as well as placement of catheters for intra-arterial chemotherapy infusion. The evolving field of neuro-oncology continues to explore minimally invasive approaches either independently or in combination with other treatments.


Future Growth Areas


Though still in its infancy, interventional neurology represents an innovative field with huge potential for continued growth by translating neuroendovascular techniques from research to standard clinical practice. Areas primed for further progress include acute stroke systems of care, complex aneurysm and AVM treatment, intrathecal therapies for hydrocephalus and pain management, as well as spinal and neuro-oncology interventions. Implementation of artificial intelligence and robotics may augment endovascular procedures. Wider geographic access to high quality image guided neurointerventions could significantly impact public health by improving outcomes for millions affected by neurovascular disorders worldwide annually. With further innovations and supportive healthcare policies, interventional neurology is positioned to revolutionize care over the next decade for some of the most challenging diseases afflicting the nervous system.

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