Michigan Neuroscience and Michigan Brain Injury Care | Richard Fessler, MD

MICHIGAN NEUROSCIENCE

St. Joseph Mercy Oakland leads the way as Michigan's first certified primary stroke center and home of the Michigan Stroke Network, the most advanced stroke response program in the nation. From top level neuroscience doctors to breakthrough treatments in brain injury care, St. Joseph Mercy Oakland caters to Michigan's neuroscience needs.

CLICK HERE FOR A FREE COPY
OF THE MEDICAL REPORT

Richard Fessler, MD

St. Joseph Mercy Oakland
Neurosurgeon

THE FACTS ABOUT STROKE CARE

Background

Each year, more than 700,000 individuals suffer a stroke. A sudden interruption in the blood supply of the brain, the majority of strokes are caused by blockage of the arteries leading to the brain. Other strokes are caused by bleeding into the brain when a blood vessel bursts. The effects of a stroke depend largely on which part of the brain is affected.

Podcast Posted: 12/3/2007
Duration: 01:00

Downloads
MP3 PDF

Individuals suffering a stroke may experience a number of symptoms, including sudden weakness or numbness in the face,arm, or leg; blurred vision; difficulty speaking; and loss of balance.However, some individuals experience nothing more than a headache.

Ischemic Stroke
The most common type of stroke, accounting for nearly 80%of all strokes, is the ischemic stroke. “This type of stroke occurs when blood clots block arteries to the brain, causing severely reduced blood flow,” says Richard Fessler, MD and SJMO Neuroendovascular surgeon. “As a result, oxygen supply to the brain is deprived and brain cells may begin to die.”

When preventive medications, such as anti-platelet drugs and anti-coagulants (heparin and warfarin) are not effective in treating an ischemic stroke, the following surgical procedures may be recommended to remove any obstruction and restore blood flow to the brain:

Carotid Endarterectomy
This technique involves opening up the carotid artery in the neck and removing plaque.

Angioplasty
During this procedure, surgeons place a small wire tube down a narrowed artery. A balloon attached to the tube is then inflated,which serves to widen the artery.Hemorrhagic Stroke Another type of stroke is the hemorrhagic stroke. This occurs when a blood vessel inthe brain leaks or ruptures as a result of uncontrolled high blood pressure or weakened areas in the blood vessels(aneurysms). Medications are often used to reduces welling of brain tissue, and in some cases surgery is recommended to remove clotted blood from around damaged brain tissue. The following techniques are commonly used:

Aneurysm Clipping.
This procedure involves placing a small clamp at the base of the aneurysm to separate it from the circulation of the artery it is attached to. This can prevent the aneurysm from bursting, or further bleeding of an aneurysm that has recently hemorrhaged.

Coiling (Aneurysm Embolization)
This procedure uses a catheter that is placed into the aneurysm.A small coil is then pushed through the catheter and positioned inside which causes clotting and seals the aneurysm off from connecting arteries.

CAUTIONS
When symptoms of a stroke last less than one hour, it is known as a transient ischemic attack (TIA), or mini-stroke -- a condition marked by temporary interruption of blood flow to the brain.Individuals who have had a TIA are more likely to have a stroke.

Major risks factors for stroke are smoking, high blood pressure,and high cholesterol, and cardiovascular disease.

REFERRAL
Please contact the physician referral line at 800.372.6094 to find a SJMO neurologist near you.

THE MEDICAL REPORT LIBRARY:

MICHIGAN NEUROSCIENCE

	Stroke Care Richard Fessler, MD Posted: 12/3/2007
	Brain Tumors Paul Croissant, MD Posted: 12/3/2007
	Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Harold Portnoy, MD Posted: 8/10/2007
	Women and Strokes Lionel Glass, MD Posted: 8/10/2007
	Degenerative Disc Disease Todd Nida, MD Posted: 8/10/2007
	Cerebral Aneurysm John Whapham, MD Posted: 8/10/2007

Page: 1 2