Is a cerebral infarction serious?

Written by Gao Yi Shen
Neurosurgery
Updated on September 05, 2024
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Stroke is a very serious disease; its essence lies in the ischemic necrosis of nerve cells. A characteristic of nerve cells is that once they undergo ischemic necrosis, they cannot regenerate. Along with cardiac muscle cells, they are the only cells in the human body that cannot regenerate once they have died. Therefore, for the part of the tissue where nerve cells have already died, such as in cases of cerebral thrombosis or stroke where the tissue has already been affected, it is impossible to completely restore it. If the affected area is relatively small, some compensation might be possible. However, if the affected area is relatively large, this will lead to a significant amount of ischemic necrosis in the neural tissue, which can cause total dysfunction of various tissue structures in the body, and in more severe cases, can lead to coma and eventually the death of the patient. Therefore, it is imperative to take this seriously in clinical practice.

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Written by Gao Yi Shen
Neurosurgery
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How to treat cerebral infarction?

The choice of treatment for cerebral infarction depends on the specific circumstances. Treatment plans for small and large cerebral infarctions are completely different, as are the treatment plans for acute and chronic stages of cerebral infarction. For small areas of acute cerebral infarction, many cases can be treated with intravenous thrombolysis and arterial thrombectomy, which are currently very effective treatments that can significantly help in emergency situations. In the chronic phase, it is necessary to actively improve cerebral circulation, brain protection, lower lipids, stabilize blood sugar, and blood pressure, among other methods, to delay the further progression of the disease. Some cases may also require identifying the cause and opting for surgical interventions, including stent implantation and endarterectomy surgeries.

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Written by Gao Yi Shen
Neurosurgery
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Can cerebral infarction be cured completely?

Stroke is not a disease that can be completely cured. Instead, the goal of treatment is to prevent further occurrences and developments of stroke, and there is also the potential for some relative improvement later on. This is considered a very good treatment goal. In the case of stroke, it involves the ischemic necrosis of nerve cells. Additionally, nerve cells have a characteristic that once they die, they cannot regenerate. Therefore, in clinical practice, there are no treatments available that can promote the regeneration of nerves. Treatment can only compensate for the functions of the surrounding healthy nerves to take over the functions of the dead nerves. However, this compensatory process is very slow, often taking two to three months to show significant progress. Hence, it is necessary to continue active rehabilitation exercises later to promote the formation of this compensatory mechanism.

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Written by Chen Yu Fei
Neurosurgery
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Precursors to cerebral infarction

For patients with cerebral infarction, before the onset of the illness, they often lack specific prodromal symptoms. Some patients may experience mild headaches, dizziness, nausea, and a clear feeling of discomfort. Additionally, some patients might experience numbness in the legs and involuntary twitching of facial muscles before the onset. Subsequently, some patients may also start to have drooping of the corner of the mouth to one side, drooling, slurred speech, and distinct articulation disorders. When these clinical presentations occur, it is necessary to be vigilant and seek timely medical attention at a local hospital. A cranial CT or MRI should be performed to confirm the diagnosis.

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Written by Gao Yi Shen
Neurosurgery
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Can a cerebral infarction be treated?

Stroke is treatable, but it must also be judged based on the situation. The meaning of "treatable" here is that various treatment plans can be used to reduce the further occurrence of cerebral infarction and the situation of recurrence. However, the nerve cells that have already suffered ischemic necrosis cannot be restored to exactly the same condition as before. This means that the best scenario is recovery to the point of being able to take care of oneself, but it is absolutely impossible to return to the state of freedom before the illness, such as running and jumping. Currently, there are many treatment methods, including medication and surgical treatment. Each of these is a mode of treatment, and each case's differences determine different treatment plans. Decisions must be made according to the situation.

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Written by Shu Zhi Qiang
Neurosurgery
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How to rehabilitate from a cerebral infarction?

Brain infarction is one of the most common cerebrovascular accidents, accounting for about 65% of all cerebrovascular diseases. The types of brain infarction include lacunar infarction, cerebral thrombosis, and cerebral embolism; sometimes it also includes cerebral venous sinus thrombosis. Any type of brain infarction, or cerebral infarction, can cause certain neurological dysfunctions. Therefore, once the patient's condition is stabilized, it is advisable to actively consider rehabilitation treatments. These rehabilitation treatments mainly include hyperbaric oxygen therapy, acupuncture rehabilitation, and physical rehabilitation therapy.