When a blood vessel in the brain becomes blocked or ruptures, there is very little room for delay. In an ischaemic stroke, a clot cuts off blood supply to part of the brain. In a haemorrhagic stroke, a weakened vessel may rupture and cause bleeding. A brain aneurysm, meanwhile, is a weakened area in the wall of a blood vessel that can sometimes rupture and lead to a serious brain haemorrhage.
Neurovascular interventions have changed how some of these conditions can be treated. Instead of reaching the brain through a large surgical opening, doctors can often work from inside the blood vessels, guiding thin catheters through the vascular system with continuous imaging. Whether this approach is appropriate depends on the location and nature of the problem, the patient's condition and the findings on brain and blood-vessel imaging.
What Is a Neurovascular Intervention?
The term covers a group of minimally invasive procedures used to treat problems involving the blood vessels supplying the brain and spinal cord. A catheter is introduced through a blood vessel, commonly in the groin or wrist, and carefully guided towards the affected vessel. Contrast imaging helps the interventional team see the circulation and place the required device accurately. The procedure chosen depends on what has gone wrong.
For an Ischaemic Stroke
Time matters because brain tissue deprived of blood and oxygen can be damaged rapidly. After appropriate imaging confirms a potentially treatable blockage, some patients may receive clot-dissolving medication, while others may be suitable for mechanical thrombectomy.
During thrombectomy, a catheter is guided to the blocked artery and a specialised device is used to retrieve the clot, with the aim of restoring blood flow. It is particularly important for certain large-vessel occlusion strokes.
STAR Hospitals' current stroke programme helps eligible patients with acute ischaemic stroke can receive IV or intra-arterial thrombolysis within six hours, while the interventional radiology team performs mechanical thrombectomy within 24 hours in appropriate patients. The actual treatment window depends on clinical assessment and imaging rather than the clock alone.
What About a Brain Aneurysm?
An aneurysm may sit quietly for years without causing symptoms. The concern arises when it enlarges, leaks or ruptures. A ruptured aneurysm can cause subarachnoid haemorrhage, a medical emergency requiring immediate specialist care.
- One way of treating a suitable aneurysm is endovascular coiling. Small coils are delivered through a catheter into the aneurysm, where they help prevent blood from continuing to flow into the weakened sac.
- Another option, for selected aneurysms, is a flow-diverting stent, which changes the flow of blood across the aneurysm and encourages the vessel to heal over time.
The choice between endovascular treatment and open surgery such as clipping is highly individual. The aneurysm's size, shape and location, along with the patient's overall condition, all enter into the decision.
STAR Hospitals provides aneurysm coiling and flow-diverter treatment along with aneurysm clipping and coiling, allowing treatment to be considered across both endovascular and surgical approaches.
Other Conditions That Can Be Treated
Neurovascular intervention is not limited to strokes and aneurysms. Depending on the patient's condition, procedures may also be used for:
- Carotid artery narrowing, including carotid stenting
- Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) through embolisation
- Selected other abnormalities of the blood vessels supplying the brain
- Complex intracranial vascular conditions requiring image-guided embolisation
At STAR Hospitals, the Interventional Radiology service uses high-resolution neuro and peripheral angiography suites, 3D rotational angiography and 3D CT with advanced software for complex procedures, including intracranial embolisation.
Why Is the Team Around the Procedure So Important?
A catheter-based procedure is only one part of managing a serious cerebrovascular condition. A patient may first need emergency neurological assessment and CT or MRI-based imaging. The intervention itself may involve neurologists, interventional radiologists and neurosurgeons, while anaesthesia and critical care teams become important in more complex cases.
This multidisciplinary setup matters particularly in stroke, where decisions often have to be made quickly. STAR Hospitals’ stroke services are a collaboration between neurology, neurosurgery, interventional radiology, trauma and critical care teams, with pre- and post-procedure care built into the pathway.
Neurovascular Care at STAR Hospitals
STAR Hospitals' current neurovascular and stroke services include:
- IV and intra-arterial thrombolysis for eligible acute ischaemic stroke patients
- Mechanical thrombectomy for appropriate large-vessel stroke cases
- Aneurysm coiling and flow-diverter procedures
- Carotid stenting
- Embolisation of arteriovenous malformations
- Endovascular treatment of stroke and aneurysms
- Surgical options such as aneurysm clipping and decompressive craniotomy, when indicated
- Advanced vascular imaging, including CT angiography, CT perfusion and MRI, to help assess patients and plan treatment
- Neuro-ICU and rehabilitation support following serious neurological illness
For someone experiencing possible stroke symptoms—such as sudden weakness or numbness on one side, difficulty speaking, facial drooping, sudden loss of vision, severe imbalance or an abrupt, unusually severe headache—waiting to see whether the symptoms settle can cost valuable time. Stroke is an emergency, and immediate assessment is essential because not every patient will be suitable for the same intervention.
The value of neurovascular treatment lies in its precision. A blocked artery can sometimes be opened, a leaking aneurysm can sometimes be secured, and a dangerous vascular abnormality may be treated without conventional open brain surgery. The right procedure, however, is always determined by the patient's imaging, timing, anatomy and overall medical condition. Book an appointment with us today to know your options and avail services
