Washington, March 26 : A minimally invasive endovascular treatment for chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency is safe and may produce "significant," short-term improvement in physical- and mental health-related quality of life in individuals with multiple sclerosis, say scientists.

Chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) is a condition characterized as a blockage in the veins that drain blood from the brain and spinal cord and returns it to the heart.

Researchers investigated the connection between CCSVI and multiple sclerosis MS.

MS is typically treated with disease-modifying drugs, which modulate or suppress the immune response believed to be central in the progression of the disease.

"Traditional theories surrounding treatment for multiple sclerosis in large part focus on autoimmune causes for brain pathology and neurologic symptoms. Based on this, treatment has been predominantly medications by mouth or injection," stated Kenneth Mandato, M.D., an interventional radiologist at Albany Medical Center in Albany, N.Y.

"Interventional radiologists, pioneers in the field of minimally invasive therapies, have been performing an endovascular therapy called angioplasty for years, to treat blocked or narrowed arteries and veins. We have been using angioplasty to open jugular and azygos veins in the neck and chest respectively to improve blood flow in people with MS. On follow-up, we have seen many of these individuals report significant symptom relief," he added.

Classifications within a diagnosis of MS include primary progressive, which means a gradually progressive disease without remission; relapsing remitting, which demonstrates acute attacks with intervals of slow improvements in symptoms; secondary progressive, where a disease that was once relapsing remitting is now slowly progressing.

MS subtypes within the Albany study group included 96 individuals with relapsing remitting, 66 with secondary progressive and 30 with primary progressive.

The study population included those who underwent angioplasty alone and three who underwent angioplasty with a stent (a tiny mesh tube used to hold the vessel open) placement.

See more here:
Angioplasty may help ease symptoms of multiple sclerosis