A brain bypass operation was successfully carried out for the first time at the St. Pölten University Hospital. This is a highly complex procedure that is only offered at a few specialized centers in German-speaking countries.
“To create the best possible framework conditions for innovative treatment methods that are available to everyone who needs it – that is our goal and I am pleased that another milestone in medical care in Lower Austria has been achieved through this novel surgical method,” he said State Councilor Ludwig Schleritzko responsible for the clinics.
During this highly specialized procedure, the skull bone of the patient (47 years old) was opened and an artery located directly under the scalp (diameter approx. 0.9 mm) in the patient’s temple was connected to a superficial blood vessel (0.6 mm) in the brain. This newly created compound improved blood supply to the brain. The operation was carried out jointly by Prim. Assoc. Prof. PD Dr. Camillo Sherif (Head of the Clinical Department of Neurosurgery) and Prim. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Klaus F. Schrögendorfer, MBA, FEBOPRAS (Head of the Clinical Department for Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery) was carried out and was successful.
In this patient, however, this treatment served as a safety reserve for a second procedure. This took place exactly seven days after the first bypass operation and was carried out minimally invasively via a catheter that was inserted through the groin. A bulge in a brain vessel – a so-called aneurysm – was discovered by senior physician Dr. Cornelia Pangratz-Daller closed with an innovative implant. This absolutely new implant has only been used a few times in Austria. The interdisciplinary, cutting-edge medical treatment concept includes the novel combination of brain bypass surgery and catheter embolization (closure of a blood vessel) with a new implant. One month after the procedures, the young patient is healthy, well and very relieved that everything went so well.
“Until recently, successful treatment of this difficult situation was only possible with very high risk. We are very pleased that she is doing so well and that we were able to successfully eliminate the dangerous aneurysm, which means it no longer poses any danger. “Through the innovative combination of the brain bypass operation with the new implant – i.e. through two high-end, cutting-edge medical procedures – the risk for our patient was successfully minimized,” said the head of the Clinical Department of Neurosurgery at the St. Pölten University Hospital.
“The interdisciplinary treatment strategy represents the motto of the St. Pölten University Hospital “Top medicine is team medicine”. The excellent collaboration between the Clinical Department of Neurosurgery and the Clinical Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology in the area of catheter therapy should also be highlighted. “The success underlines that the St. Pölten University Hospital offers top-quality medicine for all Lower Austrians and is increasingly establishing itself as an important center nationally,” says Prim. Assoc. Prof. PD Dr. Camillo Sherif.
