Tuesday, 26 August 2014

How can I reduce my risk of a stroke? : Endovascular NeuroSurgery offered at Best Hospital in India

The physical changes that cause a stroke usually take place over many years. Some people are born with a higher risk of having a stroke. Age, sex, race and having had a prior stroke are risk factors that can’t be changed.

High blood pressure, heart disease, mini strokes (TIAs) and the build-up of fatty deposits and cholesterol on the artery walls (atherosclerosis) are risk factors that can be reduced by changes to your lifestyle and good medical care.

  • ·         Visit your doctor regularly for blood pressure checks and appropriate medication.
  • ·         Stop smoking.
  • ·         Reduce alcohol intake.
  • ·         Exercise regularly. Exercise strengthens the heart and improves circulation. It will also help you to lose excess weight.
  • ·         Eat a healthy diet.
  • ·         Control your blood cholesterol.
  • ·         Control your diabetes, if you have it.

Confirmation of diagnosis and initial treatment of strokes almost always takes place in a hospital. An early diagnosis is made by evaluating symptoms, reviewing your medical history and conducting tests.

Tests that may be recommended
·         Computerised tomography (CT) scan: a special X-ray which produces 2- or 3-dimensional pictures of any part of the body.
·         Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan: this test uses a large magnet, low-energy radio waves and a computer to produce 2- or 3-dimensional pictures of the body.

How is a stroke treated?
If a stroke has occurred, treatment should begin as soon as the stroke is diagnosed to ensure that no further damage to the brain occurs. Initially, the doctor may administer oxygen and insert an intravenous drip to provide the affected person with adequate nutrients and fluids.

In cases of ischaemic stroke, it is common to give aspirin to reduce the risk of death or of a second stroke.

If the cause of the stroke was a clot, it is possible that the quick administration of certain clot-dissolving drugs, such as alteplase, may prevent some symptoms such as paralysis. However, this is not a suitable treatment for all strokes, and can increase the risk of haemorrhagic stroke, so there are strict guidelines determining the circumstances in which it should be used.

Once a stroke has permanently damaged the brain, the damage can't be undone. However, many symptoms can improve considerably in the days following a stroke, because the areas of brain on the periphery of the stroke can recover. Also, your doctor will suggest ways to prevent a future stroke, including modifying your lifestyle to minimise your risks of stroke, and taking medications.

Depending on the type and cause of the stroke, anticoagulant drugs (‘blood thinners’) may be prescribed to help prevent new blood clots from forming, in order to prevent a future stroke. Where there is a blockage in a neck artery, surgery may be performed to remove the build-up of plaque in order to prevent a future stroke. This operation is called a carotid endarterectomy.


Successful rehabilitation following a stroke depends on many factors, including the extent of brain damage, attitude, the skill of the rehabilitation team and the support of family and friends. As a result of advances in treatment and rehabilitation, many people who have had a stroke are able to live full lives. For some, recovery takes only a few weeks while for others it may take months or even years.

Strokes affect people in different ways depending on the type of stroke and area of the brain affected. Often old skills have been lost, so new ones will need to be learned. It is also important to maintain and improve physical condition whenever possible. Rehabilitation should begin as soon after a stroke as possible and may continue at home.

Rehabilitation may consist of various types of therapy including: physiotherapy to improve muscle control, co-ordination and balance;  speech therapy to retrain facial muscles and language, and help with feeding and swallowing disorders; and  occupational therapy to improve hand–eye co-ordination and skills needed for daily living tasks, such as bathing and cooking.


Family is also important in the rehabilitation process. Family members will probably be asked to help the person regain lost skills by encouraging them to use the affected arm or leg, helping them with their speech or teaching them how to do tasks which may have been forgotten, such as combing their hair or using a cup, knife and fork.
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Sunday, 24 August 2014

DBS Therapy for Parkinson's control helps reduce some of the symptoms of Parkinson's disease

DBS Therapy for Parkinson's control helps reduce some of the symptoms of Parkinson's disease and is used in conjunction with medication. Electrical stimulation is delivered to targeted areas on both sides of the brain to help relieve symptoms on both sides of the body. You may be a candidate for this therapy if your symptoms respond to levodopa, but levodopa andor other medications have become less effective or ineffective.
The benefit of deep brain stimulation in controlling tremors and improving motor function for those with Parkinson's disease appears to last at least 10 years, according to a small new study. Parkinson’s disease is one of several conditions called motor system disorders, which are caused by the loss of dopamine-producing brain cells. The main symptoms of Parkinson's disease are tremors or trembling in hands, arms, legs, jaw and face; rigidity or stiffness of the limbs and trunk; slowed movement; and impaired balance and coordination.
As the disease progresses, patients can have difficulty walking, talking or doing other simple tasks, In deep brain stimulation, a surgeon implants a small device called a neurostimulator under the skin near the collar bone. The doctor then positions wires from the device with electrodes on their ends in areas of the brain that control motor function. The device works by electrically stimulating these areas, blocking abnormal nerve signals that cause the tremor in Parkinson's disease patients.
"Deep brain stimulation is still effective in improving motor signs in advanced Parkinson's disease patients 10 years after the surgery". However, this surgery does not stop the slow progression of the disease over time, as documented by the progressive loss of benefit that both deep brain stimulation and the drug levodopa show in improving walking, balance and speech over the years, Parkinson's disease patients who are considering deep brain stimulation surgery should always ask their doctor how long the benefit lasts after surgery
DBS uses a surgically implanted medical device, similar to a cardiac pacemaker, to deliver electrical stimulation to precisely targeted areas within the brain. Stimulation of these areas blocks the signals that cause the disabling motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease. The electrical stimulation can be noninvasively adjusted to maximize treatment benefits. As a result, many individuals may achieve greater control over their body movements.
  • Lead – A lead consists of four thin coiled insulated wires with four electrodes at the lead tip. The lead is implanted in the brain.
  • Extension – An extension connects to the lead and is threaded under the skin from the head, down the neck and into the upper chest.
  • Neurostimulator – The neurostimulator connects to the extension. This small, sealed device, similar to a cardiac pacemaker, contains a battery and electronics. The neurostimulator is usually implanted beneath the skin in the chest below the collarbone (depending on the patient, a surgeon may implant the neurostimulator in the abdomen). Sometimes called a "brain pacemaker," it produces the electrical pulses needed for stimulation. These electrical pulses are delivered through the extension and lead to the targeted areas in the brain. The pulses can be adjusted wirelessly to check or change the neurostimulator settings.
After the Deep Brain Stimulation procedure

The doctor may advise few antibiotics to prevent infection. The patient may need to visit the doctor several times after the surgery to adjust the stimulation with the help of programming. The doctor may prescribe a detailed medication plan to the patient. The patient should take some precautions after the surgery and follow the instructions given by the doctors. He/she should take care of the incisions and the surgical region on the head, by keeping it dry and covered. Heavy physical activities and lifting heavy weights should be avoided for few weeks after the surgery. Regular follow-up with the treating doctor should be done.

Deep Brain Stimulation Surgery Advantage:
  • In this surgery we do not injure the brain so it is relatively risk free.
  • Completely reversible and programmable
  • Parkinson medications are reduced which results in improvement of drug related side effects.
  • There is improvement of quality of life in both off and on stage of the disease.

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Wednesday, 20 August 2014

Neurosurgery in India's Top Hospitals : Neurosurgery cost in India is amongst the lowest in the world

All the medical operations that deal with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of any nervous disorder are termed as neurosurgeries. These include the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerves and extra-cranial cerebrovascular system. A variety of symptoms such as paralysis, muscle weakness, poor coordination, loss of sensation, seizures, confusion, etc. may originate as a result of neurological disorders. 

Neurosurgery (or Neurological Surgery) is the medical specialty concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of disorders that affect the entire nervous system including the brain, spinal column, spinal cord, peripheral nerves, and extra-cranial cerebrovascular system. Neurosurgery is a branch of the surgery discipline which focuses on the brain and spinal cord. It is an extremely advanced form of surgery, requiring many years of training, and a high level of precision and experience on the part of the surgeon.
  • Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
  • Aphasia
  • Asperger Syndrome
  • Arachnoiditis
  • Dystonia
  • Encephalitis and Meningitis
  • Encephalopathy
  • Facial Nerve Problems
  • Fainting
  • Guillain-Barre Syndrome
  • Head Injury
  • Hematoma
  • Huntington Disease
  • Internal Bleeding
  • Lead Poisoning
  • Learning Disabilities
  • MELAS Syndrome
  • Meralgia Paresthetica
  • Motion Sickness
  • Multiple Sclerosis
  • Myasthenia Gravi
  • Arteriovenous Malformation
  • Autism
  • Blood Clots
  • Brain Aneurysm
  • Brain Concussion
  • Brain Hemorrhage
  • Brain Tumor
  • Canavan Disease
  • Cauda Equina Syndrome
  • Cerebral Palsy
  • Charcot-Marie-Tooth-Disease
  • Compartment Syndrome
  • Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
  • Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease
  • Devic's Syndrome
  • Dizziness
  • Pick Disease
  • Pinched Nerve
  • Stroke
  • Stroke Prevention
  • Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
  • Tourette Syndrome
  • Tremor
  • Trigeminal neuralgia
  • Vertigo
  • Ramsay Hunt Syndrome
  • Restless Leg Syndrome
  • Reye Syndrome
  • Seizure
  • Seizures Symptoms and Types
  • Sinus Headache
  • Spinal Cord Injury
  • Stem Cells
  • Peripheral Neuropathy
  • Neuropathic Pain
  • Parkinson's Disease














































Craniotomy: A craniotomy is a procedure to remove a lesion in the brain through an opening in the skull (cranium). A craniotomy is a type of brain surgery. It is the most commonly performed surgery for brain tumor removal. It also may be done to remove a blood clot (hematoma), to control hemorrhage from a weak, leaking blood vessel (cerebral aneurysm), to repair arteriovenous malformations (abnormal connections of blood vessels), to drain a brain abscess, to relieve pressure inside the skull, to perform a biopsy, or to inspect the brain. Craniotomy is distinguished from craniotomy (in which the skull flap is not immediately replaced, allowing the brain to swell, thus reducing intracranial pressure) and from trepanation, the creation of a burr hole through the cranium in to the durra mater.

Rhizotomy: Rhizotomy is the cutting of nerve roots as they enter the spinal cord. Rhizotomy (also called dorsal Rhizotomy, selective dorsal Rhizotomy, and selective posterior Rhizotomy) is a treatment for spasticity that is unresponsive to less invasive procedures. Rhizotomy is performed under general anesthesia. The patient lies face down. An incision is made along the lower spine, exposing the sensory nerve roots at the center the spinal cord. Individual nerve rootlets are electrically stimulated. Since these are sensory nerves, they should not stimulate muscle movement. Those that do (and therefore cause spasticity) are cut. Typically, one quarter to one-half of nerve rootlets tested are cut.
Corpus Callosotomy: Corpus Callosotomy is a treatment for epilepsy, in which a group of fibers connecting the two sides of the brain, called the corpus callosum, is cut. It is used to treat epilepsy that is unresponsive to drug treatments. A person with epilepsy may be considered a good candidate for one type of epilepsy surgery or another if he or she has seizures that are not adequately controlled by drug therapy, and has tried at least two (perhaps more, depending on the treatment center's guidelines) different anti-epileptic drugs. The purpose of this treatment is to prevent spreading of seizure activity from one half of the brain to the other. The brain is divided into two halves, or hemispheres, that are connected by a thick bundle of nerve fibers, the corpus callosum. When these fibers are cut, a seizure that begins in one hemisphere is less likely to spread to the other. This can reduce the frequency of seizures significantly.
Stereotactic Radiosurgery: Stereotactic radiosurgery is the use of a precise beam of radiation to destroy tissue in the brain. This procedure is used to treat brain tumors, arteriovenous malformations in the brain and in some cases, benign eye tumors or other disorders within the brain. It works the same as all other forms of radiation treatment. It does not remove the tumor or lesion, but it distorts the DNA of the tumor cells. The cells then lose their ability to reproduce and retain fluids. The tumor reduction occurs at the rate of normal growth for the specific tumor cell. In lesions such as AVMs (a tangle of blood vessels in the brain), radiosurgery causes the blood vessels to thicken and close off. The shrinking of a tumor or closing off of a vessel occurs over a period of time. For benign tumors and vessels, this will usually be 18 months to two years. For malignant or metastatic tumors, results may be seen in a few months, because these cells are very fast-growing.
Meningocele repair: is surgery to repair birth defects of the spine and spinal membranes. Meningocele and myelomeningocele are types of spinal bifida. The surgery is necessary to close this abnormal opening to decrease the risk of infection and protect the integrity of the spina column and the tissue inside. A myelomeningocele is the most severe type of spina bifida because the spinal cord has herniated into the protruding sac. Neural tissue and nerves may be exposed. About 80% of myelomeningoceles occur at the lower back, where the lumbar and sacral regions join. Some people refer to myelomeningocele as spina bifida. Because of the exposed neural tissue, significant symptoms may be present.

·    
Neurosurgery cost in India is amongst the lowest in the world. The cost of neurosurgery in India is just a fraction of the cost in the USA. Neurosurgery cost in India is also significantly cheaper than cost of neurosurgery in comparable hospitals in other popular medical tourism destinations.  The low cost of neurosurgery in India is without any compromise on quality or success rate


Neurosurgery in India's tophospitals is extremely successful on account of theworld class operation theatres and cutting edge technology that is available to neurosurgeons in India. For example:

  • ·         Stereotactic Radiosurgery Suite
  • ·         Brain Suite (with Capability for Intra-Operative High-End Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
  • ·         Neurosurgery Theatre for Endoscopic Procedures
  • ·         X-Knife for Radio Surgeries
  • ·         High Accuracy Computer Assisted Neurosurgery with Operation Theatre Linkage to CT Scanner and MRI Machine
  • ·         Microsurgical Instruments for Neurosurgeries
  • ·         Gamma Knife or Radiosurgery
  • ·         Linear Accelerators ( LINACs) / CyberKnife for Radiosurgery
  • ·         Neuro-Intervention Laboratory
  • ·         Neurosurgerytheatre with Imaging Support for Spine Surgeries




Treatment of brain and spine disorders are becoming less invasive with the advent of better imaging and interventional technologies. Interventional neuroradiologists in India now offer a wide range of minimally invasive neurosurgeries through angioplasty, placement of stents, treatment of vascular tumors, large aneurysm, embolization for resolution of arteriovenous malformations, etc


A huge cost difference is evident in India when it comes to Neurosurgery. India is cheaper along with zero patient wait lists. Interestingly, the quality delivered at such a low cost doesn’t compromise the quality of treatment, as the foreign patients are accustomed to get in their respective country. This is due to the outburst of the private sector which is comprised of hospitals and clinics with the latest technology and best practitioners. The following cost comparison can give a right picture of the claim behind low cost treatment with quality:  


Procedure
USA ($)
UK($)
India ($)
Neurosurgery with Hypothermia
23,000
21,000
6,500
Brain tumor surgery
12,000
10,000
4,500
DBS
28,500
26,000
17,000



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