What is an intracranial stent?

Intracranial vessel stenting, or simply intracranial stenting, is a minimally invasive procedure to treat severe cerebral artery stenosis. Cerebral artery stenosis is a narrowing of the arteries that supply blood to the brain. It increases the risk of stroke.

How is intracranial stenosis treated?

Angioplasty / stenting can successful reduce the stenosis to less than 30% without complications in 60 to 80% of patients [3]. Cerebral artery bypass is a surgical procedure that reroutes the blood supply around the plaque-blocked area. This procedure requires making an opening in the skull, called a craniotomy.

Why would a stent be put in the head?

Two common conditions that stents are used for are intracranial stenosis and brain aneurysms. Intracranial stenosis is narrowing of brain blood vessels. Most often, the narrowing is due to atherosclerosis, and a buildup of fat and other substances (plaques) in the blood vessels.

How long does it take to recover from a brain stent?

You may feel tired for a few days after the procedure. You’ll probably be able to return to work or your normal routine in 3 to 7 days. You may have some bruising around the incision, but you should not have much pain. If you do have pain, your doctor may recommend or prescribe pain medicines.

Are brain stents successful?

In a new study, the self-expanding, intracranial Wingspan brain stent seems effective over the long term in reducing stroke patients’ risk of a subsequent stroke and death. Intracranial stents are tiny mesh tubes that are permanently implanted to open clogged brain arteries and improve blood flow to the brain.

Is a stent a major surgery?

Having a stent placed is a minimally invasive procedure, meaning it is not a major surgery. Stents for coronary arteries and carotid arteries are placed in similar ways. A stent graft is placed to treat an aneurysm in a procedure called aortic aneurysm repair.

How often should a brain stent be checked?

artery wide open, you will need to have a follow up angiography test 6 months after placement. Further imaging is typically done after another 6 months with future studies considered at that time if needed.