Clinical Services Chronic Cerebrospinal Venous Insufficiency (CCSVI) --Vascular Access Centers has multiple locations where CCSVI treatment is offered. - facebook prikbord

Clinical Services

Chronic Cerebrospinal Venous Insufficiency (CCSVI)

Overview

Multiple

Sclerosis (MS) is a devastating disease that has severe effects on

people from all walks of life, most often striking young adults in their

prime. The causes of MS are not well understood, and there are probably

a number of different factors that have to be present for the disease

to develop. The possibility that abnormalities of venous drainage of the

brain and spinal cord are a contributing factor to MS has been raised

several times over the last 80-100 years, but has usually been

discounted

There

has been much attention and research aimed at identifying the possible

connection between chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI)

and MS. CCSVI is a syndrome in which the flow of blood in the veins

draining the central nervous system (CNS) are compromised, creating

difficulty in getting the blood in the brain & spine back to the

heart. Some researchers theorize that this particular condition

possibly hastens the development of MS or may be a factor leading to the

worsening of MS symptoms..

Recent work by Dr. Zamboni et al in Italy has revived the concept that

there is a vascular component to the MS disease process. Their studies

show that a large proportion of patients with MS have abnormalities of

the veins draining the head and neck, causing abnormal flow patterns and

presumably causing abnormal vein pressures in the brain. Patients

without MS, whether healthy volunteers or those with other neurological

diseases, do not seem to have these abnormalities of the veins.

While this is not entirely defined, it should be noted that many of the symptoms of CCSVI
have been successfully treated for years. These symptoms may include

swelling of the head, face, or neck, skin color changes within the head,

face, or neck, swelling, heaviness, and throbbing of the arms, and

occasionally light headedness. The specialized team at Vascular Access

Centers will help you to determine if CCSVI treatment for MS may be the

right decision for you. Upon consultation, including the review of the

patient's medical history and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) studies,

the patient and their family will be informed of potential treatment

options and realistic expectations. Clinical outcomes vary from patient

to patient but those that respond to endo-vascular therapy can have

amazing relief of symptoms and reversal of neurological

deficits. Patients have responses ranging from relief of their MS

symptoms entirely, temporary relief of their MS symptoms, or no relief of their MS symptoms at all.

What To Expect

First, chose a location that is

suitable for you. Vascular Access Centers has multiple locations where

CCSVI treatment is offered. With 22 locations and multiple physicians

who perform the procedure, scheduling is a snap. Patients can be seen

relatively quickly. No waiting list!! Our participating locations

include but are not limited to:

Trenton, NJ

Jersey City, NJ

West Orange, NJ

Mays Landing, NJ

Philadelphia, PA

Memphis, TN

Seattle, WA

Downey, CA

Please visit our locations page and inquire within if you see a location geographically more suitable to you.

Scheduling Your Appointment

Now that you have selected a

location that works for you, please contact our facility directly to

schedule. You will be asked to provide some information about

yourself. This will include basic information, general medical history,

as well as signs and symptoms. Once we have obtained all of the

pertinent information, we will schedule a consultation with you. You

will be asked if you have had an MRV or venous ultrasound of the head

and neck. If you have previously done so, you will be asked to bring the

study on CD and the report with you.

Consultation

At your consultation,

the physician will interview you, focusing on your symptoms and symptom

history, as well as the rest of your general medical history.

Ultrasound may be performed, even if you have previously had MRV and/or

ultrasound. Your physician will discuss the procedure, risks, and

expectations at length with you at your visit. You and your family will

have the chance to review the consent form as well.

Treatment
Treatment of this particular syndrome most typically involves placing a small "tubing" is introduced into a
bandaid-sized incision in the groin area. From this location, small

catheters wires are guided through the opening all the way up into the

neck and chest veins. Your physician will be able to navigate using

fluoroscopy, or x-ray guidance. A visual picture is achieved by

injecting dye into the veins. This will help identify where there may

be narrowing or blockage in your veins.

Once the location of the blockage is identified, a small balloon can be placed across the narrowing and
inflated. This procedure, called Angioplasty, will help to open up the

vein and restore its size, reestablish normal blood flow. In some

instances, the balloon itself doesn't quite restore the vein's size.

This can be easily rectified by the introduction of a small stent. A

stent may preserve long-term success of the treated area.

Follow Up
We will be following your
progress post-procedure. This may come in the form of office visits or

phone calls, or a combination of the two, depending on your home

location. Your safety and health are our business. We welcome any

post-procedure questions, concerns, or success stories. Results

may vary and in some cases restenosis may occur. If your treatment

resulted in significant symptom relief, a repeat procedure should be

considered.

Need Some Additional Help To Guide Your Decision Process?
Vascular Access Centers is
pleased to have partnered with Kate Fitzgerald of Medical Patient

Advocates. Kate and her team partner with each patient and his or her

designated decision making family members regarding planned vascular or

CCSVI treatment procedures.

Through this partnership, they develop an open communication within the

family structure to ensure that the patient’s perceptions, beliefs,

hopeful outcomes and unplanned outcomes are discussed, understood by the

patient’s family and accepted as the total family group's plan of

action.

Visit the website at http://www.medicalpatientadvocates.com/ to learn more.

At Vascular Access Centers, our mission is to offer enhanced patient care through clinical excellence
and unparalleled service. Our dedicated team delivers optimal clinical

outcomes and technical successes.

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