Chronic Cerebro Spinal Venous Insufficiency (CCSVI) Treatment at Fortis Healthcare, New Delhi
Liberation treatment (Venous Angioplasty) for Multiple Sclerosis
The Neurosciences department at Fortis Healthcare, New Delhi introduces for the first time a non surgical treatment for Multiple Sclerosis called Liberation treatment. The treatment is offered at two of its premiere super specialty hospitals in New Delhi, namely Fortis Hospital, Vasant Kunj & Fortis Hospital, Noida.
What is Multiple sclerosis?
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is currently classified as a cell mediated autoimmune demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS) of unknown pathogenesis. In most patients, clinical manifestations indicate the involvement of motor, sensory, visual, and autonomic systems but many other symptoms and signs can occur. This prevailing view of MS being a result of abnormal autoimmune responses against patient’s own nervous system has been challenged by researchers who found a strong association between MS and a condition called CCSVI -Chronic Cerebro Spinal Venous Insufficiency.
What is CCSVI?
Chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency is a vascular condition characterized by defects in main cerebrospinal venous routes that interfere with normal venous outflow form cerebrospinal system. It has been identified very recently and is a chronic (ongoing) problem where the return of deoxygenated blood to the heart from the brain and spine is compromised. The neck and chest veins draining the brain and spine have been found to be narrowed (stenosed). This narrowing causes slower return/backflow of blood which is now being hypothesized to be responsible for deposition of harmful material in the brain, like iron which is a constituent of blood. This iron causes release of free radicals and an autoimmune reaction is provoked which causes damage to the brain.
The concept of chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) leading to MS is undoubtedly a revolutionary way to understand the causation of MS.
What is Liberation treatment for Multiple Sclerosis?
Screening
The patient is clinically evaluated for Multiple Sclerosis. An eye examination, VEP, BERA, Venous Doppler of internal jugular veins and MR Venography are done to screen patients for venous outflow obstruction. Catheter venography is needed to confirm the findings of non invasive tests.
Liberation Treatment
The procedure is minimally invasive. It involves catheter venography (angiography for veins) and venous angioplasty of internal jugular and azygus veins wherever they are stenosed (narrowed). Additionally, wherever indicated, patient may have to be implanted with a stent to keep the stenosed vessel open. For this procedure, the patient has to undergo a needle puncture in the groin under local anesthesia with mild sedation in our cath lab under fluoroscopy. The procedure is usually pain free but may cause mild discomfort. Patient is allowed oral diet an hour or so later. It, however, requires a patient to be on bed rest for next six hours as moving the leg can lead to collection of blood (hematoma).
For international patients, in order to obtain a no obligation specialist opinion on whether CCSVI is advisable to you or not, kindly email the following diagnostic results in JPEG format:
- MRV of cervical (neck) region
- Venous Doppler of the cervical (neck) region
- Questionnaire/medical history
In case the above are not available, the patient can come to Fortis Healthcare, New Delhi for the CCSVI screening package. If our specialist team finds the screening results positive, the patient will be taken up for treatment immediately.
CCSVI Screening Package at Fortis – USD 800
USD 800, two days stay in a single room at Fortis Hospital.
CCSVI Screening + Treatment Package at Fortis – USD 5000
If the results of CCSVI screening are positive as per internationally accepted protocols, the patient will be taken up for treatment immediately. The total package cost in this case would be USD 5000, including a stay in a single deluxe room up to 4 days at Fortis Hospital, New Delhi.
Note: In case a stent is required in the venous angioplasty, an additional USD 1300 would be charged.
Post treatment, the specialist team follows up with a neurological questionnaire in order to assess the effect of the liberation procedure. A Doppler examination is also carried out before the patient goes back to his/her own country in order to confirm the removal of the stenosis.
CCSVI Liberation Team
The team for this procedure is led by Dr Vikas Gupta, who has a wide experience in Neuro- angiographic procedures. He heads the Neuro endovascular division of Fortis Hospitals NOIDA and Vasant Kunj, New Delhi. He is a qualified Neurosurgeon. In addition, he has been a Fellow in Interventional Neuroradiology at University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland for six months. The neurological screening is done by Dr Sanjay Saxena Senior Consultant and Head of Neurology FHN, Dr R. Achtani FHVK and radiological screening is done by Dr J.P Singh Senior Consultant and head of Radiology.
Please Click here to request more information.
