Checking-Up Arteries In Your Neck By Ultrasound Technology

Published : February 01, 2011 :: 13:02:19 [ 2,760 views ]

Cerebral thrombosis is generally known by Thai people as paralysis or hemiplegia. The main causes of this disease are two-fold, the first is that blood vessels in the brain become narrowed and the other is that bleeding inside the brain has occurred.

70 percent of patients suffer from the first cause. The cerebral thrombosis may have been produced by an embolus from another area such as the coronary arteries, which obstructs blood flow to the brain. As a result, cerebral cells may die as there is no blood to bring oxygen to them.

The arteries in the neck are important arteries that directly supply the brain. In the event that the arteries in this area are narrowed by plaques in the blood vessel wall, the patient may be unable to control the movements of the arms and legs properly, some patients may lose their speech, get dizzy, lose memory and visual capacity. These symptoms are the preliminary ones to urge the patients to have a medical check-up before they become completely paralyzed.

Checking the arteries can be done by the ultrasound equipment. This will check the cerebral arteries which are outside the skull by an ultrasound wave, also check the arteries around the neck that supply the brain, and the left and the right sides of the face. This examination is totally painless.

Patients suffering from cerebral thrombosis and insufficient blood supply to the brain may need operation to avoid becoming paralyzed. The operation will eliminate the narrowing or obstruction in the artery in the neck. This operation cures more than 70 percent of the patients. Before proceeding with this operation, the surgeon will consider the causes of this disease to plan for further treatments. The risk from this treatment is quite low.

Checking the arteries in the neck is not only for cerebral thrombosis patients but also for all people who would like to check for any obstruction in the wall of the artery. Ultrasound can check people who have a “bruit” or murmur in the blood vessels. In addition, Ultrasound can estimate the condition of the cerebral arteries before proceeding with any operation, as well as checking for tumors on the neck which may be caused by swollen blood vessels in that area.

For more information, please contact: Neauroscience Center or call the Bangkok Hospital Pattaya Contact Center at 1719