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Surgery after stroke

After stroke some people need to have an operation.

Two surgeons operating

1 Sometimes this is done to remove blood which has leaked out from the arteries. This stops pressure building up and damaging the brain tissue.

2 Some people have an operation to strengthen weak points in their arteries.

3 The surgeon may make a blood vessel wider, so it's less likely to get blocked.

Ask for an explanation of why you need surgery.

Ask the doctor to draw a diagram.

This can help to show you exactly what happened.

How will I feel after my operation?

Man with one side of his head shaved

An operation may cause some swelling and bruising in your brain tissue.

This may make you feel drowsy and unwell for a time after your operation.

Your speech may be slurred.

For some operations, you may need to have some of your hair shaved off. This can be upsetting and shocking because it changes how you look. But it grows back.

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