NeuroInterventional Surgery

Neurointerventional surgery (formerly known as “neurointerventional radiology” or “neuro IR”) is a highly-specialized subspecialty where physicians perform minimally invasive surgery in the blood vessels that supply the brain and spinal cord. Image guidance allows the surgeon to navigate a small instrument to the area of interest using pictures. Small skin incisions and image guidance allow brain and spine procedures to be performed without disrupting or manipulating the normal structures of the skull, brain, and spine.

Today, only about 800 neurointerventional surgeons exist in the United States, making it one of the rarest and most specialized surgical fields. IntelliRad Imaging currently employs three neurointerventional surgery physicians making us one of the most sought-after physician groups in south Florida. 

Intracranial Arterial Stenosis

Intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis (ICAS) is the leading cause of ischemic stroke that is increasingly being treated with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting (PTAS) to prevent recurrent stroke. 

Intracranial Aneurysm

An intracranial aneurysm is an abnormal enlargement or “ballooning” of the wall of an artery within the brain. Left untreated it can rupture, causing headache, light sensitivity, or double vision. A minimally invasive treatment for an intracranial aneurysm is performed by an interventional neuroradiologist to place special coils inside the blood vessel to prevent a rupture.

Cerebral Infarction

Commonly referred to as an ischemic stroke, cerebral infarction is the result of a blood clot that gets lodged into the small blood vessels that supply blood to the brain, depriving the brain of oxygen. When this occurs, it is critical to re-open the artery quickly to prevent brain damage. Using imaging guidance, an interventional neuroradiologist will thread a catheter to the site of the stroke to administer a clot-busting drug, or to remove the clot entirely if needed.