Temporary and permanent occlusion of cerebral arteries - Indications and techniques

Permanent occlusion of the carotid and vertebral arteries has long been use d as a treatment for certain aneurysms, tumors, arteriovenous fistulae, and traumatic injuries. Temporary occlusion of these vessels often is used pat ient tolerance before permanent vessel occlusion. When inadvertent arterial occlusion or injury is considered to be a significant risk of an open or e ndovascular surgical procedure, temporary arterial occlusion may be used to assess tolerance for permanent occlusion. The results of temporary arteria l occlusion testing are often used to determine the need and type of bypass graft to augment cerebral blood flow. Temporary arterial occlusion also ma y be used to arrest proximal blood flow during open or endovascular surgery .