CAROLYN’S CCSVI PROCEDURE

I was diagnosed with MS, Multiple Sclerosis, in 2001 but have had symptoms since 1987. In June of 2001 mobility and fatigue became a huge issue so I was forced to quit my job and later had to sell my 2-story condo because I could no longer go up and down stairs. I do not believe in the therory that MS is an autoimmune disease so have never taken any of the disease modifying drugs offered by Neurologists/pharmaceutical companies. I have been doing alternative therapies such as diet, supplements/herbs, physical therapy, acupuncture, meditation, yoga and bee stings.

In December 2009, a friend e-mailed me an article about an Italian doctor, Dr. Paulo Zamboni, who had published a new therory regarding a possible cause and treatment for MS. Dr. Zamboni's wife was diagnosed with MS and he was determined to find answers. He discovered that she had narrowings in some of her veins and when simple venoplasty, similar to angioplasty, was done, her symptoms improved. Dr. Zamboni labeled this condition Chronic Cerebrospinal Venous Insufficiency or CCSVI, a condition in which people have obstructed blood flow in the veins that drain the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord). As a result of these venous abnormalities, the blood flow rate through the central nervous system back toward the heart may become slowed and blood may reflux back toward the brain and spine.

CCSVI and it's link to MS is a newly documented condition and may profoundly change the way we think about MS. Evidence suggests that the obstruction in blood flow likely precedes the onset of MS. Dr. Zamboni’s current hypothesis is that congenitally or developmentally malformed veins cause chronic, insufficient Central Nervous System drainage, contribute to or cause inflammation in the brain tissue which in turn eventually leads to an immune response. CCSVI could damage CNS tissue in a variety of ways and cause MS.

There are currently a handful of doctors in the United States performing the CCSVI procedure. Dr. Sal Sclafani, MD an Interventional Radiologist in Brooklyn, NY is a CCSVI pioneer and rock star. Dr. Sclafani has studied extensively with Dr. Zamboni and last year decided to dedicate his medical practice solely to CCSVI. I am single, living on SSDI and want to be able to travel to New York from Arizona to have Dr. Sclafani do my CCSVI procedure as soon as possible.