Dan Scherer, left, found new hope after undergoing the EMBOLIZE procedure at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital. Neurosurgeon Dr. Demetrius Lopes, right, and his team performed the surgery.
Courtesy of Vincent Pierri
During a bike ride with friends, Dan Scherer wiped out, hitting the ground hard enough to shatter his sunglasses and leave a gash above his eye.
As his helmet absorbed most of the impact, the 68-year-old Kildeer man said he felt well enough to finish the ride. The cut, however, required a trip to the ER for stitches.
While Scherer’s injuries that day seemed minor, the fall triggered a potentially deadly brain bleed diagnosed weeks later and set Scherer on an unexpected path to a lifesaving treatment called EMBOLIZE at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge.
The culmination of a four-year clinical trial, the innovative procedure injects a hardening compound to stop bleeding from arteries in the brain. Scherer’s doctor sees it as a major breakthrough, one that might hold promise for other brain-related health issues down the road.
A hidden threat revealed
Neurosurgeon Dr. Demetrius Lopes, left, says he’s grateful to Dan Scherer, right, for participating in the EMBOLIZE clinical trial. The procedure reduces the need for repeat surgeries by stopping blood flow from subdural hematomas.
Courtesy of Vincent Pierri
On the day of the accident, in June of 2023, Scherer was relieved when a precautionary CT scan showed no sign of internal bleeding. But over the next few weeks, his condition deteriorated.
“I was having headaches that gradually got worse,” Scherer said. “It got to the point where I was feeling extreme pain in the back of my eyeballs. That’s when I called the doctor.”
He was admitted to Lutheran’s Neurocritical Care Unit, where new scans revealed bleeding between his brain and skull. The condition, known as a subdural hematoma, can be fatal if untreated.
Neurosurgeon Dr. Demetrius Lopes and his team performed an emergency craniotomy, a procedure that temporarily removes a portion of the skull to access the brain and clear pooled blood, relieving pressure.
Although the surgery was successful, Scherer remained at risk. A craniotomy addresses the immediate issue but doesn’t stop the artery from bleeding, leaving the possibility of future hemorrhaging and another surgery.
That’s when Lopes offered Scherer the chance to participate in a clinical trial to reduce the need for repeat surgeries after a subdural hematoma. Called EMBOLIZE, the procedure involves injecting a substance into the leaky artery. The compound, which has the consistency of toothpaste, hardens to block any new bleeding.
“This is a paradigm shift in treating this condition,” Lopes said. “It’s a breakthrough I thought I would never see in my lifetime.”
EMBOLIZE is a minimally invasive procedure that uses a catheter guided through the blood vessels to deliver the hardening compound to the artery. The treatment takes only 30 to 40 minutes, and the patient can remain awake.
“We enter through the wrist under local anesthetic,” Lopes explained. “The catheter makes a road trip through the neck and into the brain. It’s a very safe procedure.”
Scherer didn’t hesitate to join the trial. “If this will help others in the future, I’m all for it,” he said.
Since undergoing the breakthrough procedure, he’s back on his bike and enjoying a new lease on life.
‘Exciting new pathways’
Lopes hopes to raise awareness about EMBOLIZE and warn people — especially seniors — about the dangers of head trauma, even from seemingly minor injuries.
“With the proliferation of blood-thinning medications for seniors, something as simple as bumping your head on a cabinet can be life-threatening,” he said. “When arteries in the brain can’t clot normally, the risk of brain bleeds is very high.”
He advises caregivers to watch for signs of trouble after a head injury. Subtle personality changes, balance issues, forgetfulness, dullness or headaches could signal internal damage as pooled blood puts pressure on the brain.
“Imagine a slowly inflating balloon between your brain and skull,” Lopes said. “As the blood expands, it eventually leads to a coma situation.”
Lopes also sees potential for EMBOLIZE in treating other brain health issues.
“This procedure is opening exciting new pathways, including the treatment of migraines,” he said. “Trials are underway now that could create significant advancements in the field. It’s an exciting time and gives me a lot of hope for the future.”
A CT scan reveals blood vessels, upper right. in Dan Scherer’s brain following the EMBOLIZE procedure. This innovative treatment, developed through a four-year clinical trial, uses a hardening compound to stop bleeding from brain arteries.
Courtesy of Vincent Pierri