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TREATMENTS OF ARTERIAL DISEASES
Treatment of Blockages by a Blood Clot (Thrombolytic Therapy)
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This procedure dissolves blood clots in the veins or arteries without surgery. “Clot dissolving” drugs (thrombolytic agents) are injected directly into the site of the clot. For clotting in the large veins, an interventional radiologist inserts a catheter into the veins and threads it to the site of the clot. He/she guides and watches the progress of the procedure on an x-ray video monitor. When the catheter tip is in the clot, the clot-dissolving drug is sent (infused) through the catheter. In most cases, it takes several hours or even a couple of days for the clot to completely dissolve. In suitable cases, blood clots can be dissolved by “mechanical thrombolysis”. This procedure involves the use of devices that can be threaded through a catheter into the site of clot and break up the clot by ultra high speed rotation or by sending a high velocity jet of sterile saline solution which can break up and remove the clot.
Such treatments can also be used in the emergent therapy of acute stroke. A micro catheter is rapidly advanced into the clot inside the cerebral vessel that is blocked and thrombolysis is performed. This results in re-perfusion of brain tissue and in many cases quickly restores neurological function while still on the procedure table.
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