Neurovascular Compression Syndromes

Finding relief from common neurovascular compression syndromes doesn’t have to mean putting your life on pause for days. Our minimally invasive surgeries require tiny or no incisions, which translates to shorter recovery times, less scarring and less pain.

Our leading-edge and conventional treatment options for neurovascular compression syndromes include:

Endoscopic Microvascular Decompression — This surgery is performed through a small incision behind the ear. The neurosurgeon uses an endoscope to identify where a blood vessel is compressing the nerve and then separates the blood vessel away from the nerve with a small piece of felt. The endoscope replaces the traditional microscope. The new technology is believed to be more effective in identifying the source of compression.

Gamma Knife® Technology — This noninvasive procedure targets and treats tumors with millimeter precision, minimizing damage to surrounding tissue and resulting in less scarring and pain, and faster recovery times. Despite the name, there are no blades or incisions used during a Gamma Knife® procedure. Patients normally resume their daily activities within 24 to 48 hours. Our multidisciplinary team of neurosurgeons, medical physicists and radiation oncologists has performed thousands of procedures using the gold standard in care, the Leksell Gamma Knife® Perfexion™.

Microscopic Microvascular Decompression — This surgery alleviates facial pain or a facial spasm caused by a blood vessel pushing on a nerve. Using a microscope, the neurosurgeon identifies the compression point and separates the blood vessel and nerve with a small piece of Teflon®. The procedure may be recommended if non-surgical therapies aren’t an option for alleviating the pain or spasms. This minimally invasive approach eliminates the need for a large incision, preserving more of the healthy tissue and reducing the risk of complications.

In our AdventHealth Neuroscience Institute network, you’re always provided with a treatment plan that’s personalized to your needs, your age, the severity of your condition, the location and cause of your pain, and more.

Oftentimes, brain aneurysms are not detected until they rupture or are found during medical imaging tests for other conditions.

If you experience a severe headache or other symptoms of an aneurysm, there are four types of tests your doctor may order to determine if your symptoms are the result of an aneurysm.

At the AdventHealth Neuroscience Institute network, our doctors use the following tests to detect an aneurysm:

Computed Tomography (CT) Scan

Fast and painless, a CT scan is usually the first test ordered for patients with aneurysm symptoms. A CT scan creates 2D images of the brain and skull — sometimes referred to as “slices” — using X-rays.

Sometimes, a contrast dye is injected into the patient’s bloodstream before the CT scan to help locate an aneurysm. This is called a CT angiography (CTA) and it produces sharper and more detailed images of the blood flow in the arteries of the brain. A CTA can clearly determine the size, location and shape of both ruptured or unruptured aneurysms.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

An MRI detects bleeding in the brain by creating 2D and 3D detailed images using computer-generated radio waves and a magnetic field. Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) produces more detailed images of brain arteries to show the location, shape and size of aneurysms.

Cerebral Angiography

An imaging technique that uses a catheter, X-ray imaging guidance and an injection of contrast material, cerebral angiography can reveal abnormalities, including aneurysms in the blood vessels of the brain. The detail, clarity and accuracy of cerebral angiography can sometimes make it possible for doctors to diagnose and treat an aneurysm in a single procedure, eliminating the need for surgery.

Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) Analysis

A clear, colorless liquid, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) acts as a cushion against sudden impact or injury to the brain or spinal cord. A CSF analysis is a series of tests performed on a sample of that fluid, collected from a lumbar puncture (commonly referred to as a spinal tap). A CSF analysis can detect bleeding in the brain, but additional tests are needed to identify its exact cause.