Intracranial stenosis is the narrowing or constriction of the inner surface, lumen, of an artery within the brain. Most commonly it is caused by a buildup of plaque, called atherosclerosis. The biggest risk of intracranial stenosis is a stroke.
Plaque can block blood flow to the brain and cause a stroke by
- Building up and severely narrowing or occluding an artery
- Damaging the walls of the artery and causing blood clots to form
- Breaking away and traveling down the artery and lodging in a smaller artery.
Symptoms
The symptoms of intracranial stenosis are Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) and Stroke. Both stroke and TIA present very similarly and the best way to spot a stroke is follow this principle
F: Face Drooping. Look for an uneven smile
A: Arm Weakness.
S: Speech Difficulty. Slurred speech
T: Time to call. Call 911 right away if you or an individual has any of these symptoms
A TIA, also known as a mini stroke is when the blood flow to the brain is briefly interrupted and then restored. Generally any symptoms rectify themselves in minutes. They are a significant warning for a major ischemic stroke and or permanent brain injury and should not be taken lightly.
Treatment
Maintaining and/or improving blood flow to the brain is the goal of any treatment.
Medication: may include anticoagulants (blood thinners), cholesterol lowering medications and/or blood pressure lowering medications
Surgery: If medical treatment fails surgery may be the best option to reduce or remove plaque buildup and enlarge the artery.
- Balloon Angioplasty/stent:
- Cerebral Artery Bypass:
References: American Association of Neurological Surgeons, Barrow Neurological Institute, National Institute of Neurological Disease and Stroke, National Institute of Health, National Stroke Association.
