Medically reviewed by
Dr. Basil Shah
McLeod Neurology Services

With the addition of a special new surgical suite that can deliver 3D images, specialists now have a new, better way to remove blood blockages in the brain, avoiding the worst effects of a stroke.

Here are the major points from Dr. Shah’s comments:

If we decide that minimally invasive is the way to go, the patient is taken to a biplane suite. Imagine a room with two cameras. One looks at your blood vessels from the front, and another camera looks at them from  the side. We can rotate these cameras and look at the blood vessels from multiple angles. This gives us a 3D view of the blood vessels in the brain, similar to 3D computer games.

This view enables us to have precise information about the location of the defect, whether it’s a rupture or a blockage. Then, we can insert the instruments device, which will be used to repair the problem, through a small tube called a catheter.

Once that goal is achieved, we retrieve the devices through the same catheter. The entry point is a small incision. Whether it’s an artery in the leg or arm, we hold pressure on the small incision to ensure there is no bleeding at the site. If necessary, we can use devices to close the incision. It basically heals by itself within a month.

South Carolina and this region are in the so-called “stroke belt” of the country. I think it’s great that McLeod Regional Medical Center has taken the lead by investing its resources to provide this service to the community.

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