Stroke Health Center

When surgery is being considered after a stroke, your age, prior overall health, and current condition are major factors in the decision.

Surgery for ischemic stroke

If you have significant blockage in the carotid arteries in your neck, you may need a carotid endarterectomy. During this surgery, a surgeon removes plaque buildup in the carotid arteries to reduce the risk of transient ischemic attack (TIA) or stroke. The benefits and risks of this surgery must be carefully weighed, because the surgery itself may cause a stroke. Your need to have carotid endarterectomy depends on whether you have had a TIA or stroke and how much your carotid arteries have narrowed.

Stroke: Should I Have Carotid Endarterectomy?

Surgery for hemorrhagic stroke

Surgeries for hemorrhagic stroke include:

• Surgery to drain or remove blood in or around the brain that was caused by a bleeding blood vessel.
• A procedure (endovascular coil embolization) to repair a brain aneurysm that is the cause of a hemorrhagic stroke. A small coil is inserted into the aneurysm to block it off and stop or prevent bleeding.
• Surgery (craniotomy) to repair the aneurysm that caused the hemorrhagic stroke. A small metal clip is placed around the base of the aneurysm to block it off. This stops the bleeding in the brain. Whether this surgery can be done depends on the location of the aneurysm, its size, and your general health.
• Surgery to remove or block off abnormally formed blood vessels (arteriovenous malformation) that have caused bleeding in the brain.