Brain Aneurysm (cont.)

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What is the treatment for brain aneurysm?

Patient Comment on Brain Aneurysm - Treatment
Comment from: karen, 35-44 Female (Patient) Published: March 26

Nearly 10 years ago, I had a subarachnoid hemorrhage. I had suffered with headaches and dizzy spells for years. One day I was on a bus with a friend and got a sharp pain in my head: the worst pain and headache I'd ever experienced. I decided to go home and went to bed. The next morning I woke up and had double vision and still had the bad pain in my head. One of my pupil's was dilated and I felt weak on one side of my body. An ambulance took me to the hospital. A CT scan revealed I had an aneurysm. I had brain surgery the next day. I was told I was lucky, because if it weren't for the double vision, I probably wouldn't be here today because I might have thought it was just a bad headache.

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Treatment for a symptomatic aneurysm is to repair the blood vessels. Clipping and coiling are two treatment options.

  • Clipping: A neurosurgeon can operate on the brain by cutting open the skull, identifying the damaged blood vessel and putting a clip across the aneurysm. This prevents blood from entering the aneurysm and causing further growth or blood leakage.

  • Coiling: A neurosurgeon or interventional radiologist can thread a tube through the arteries, as with an angiogram, identify the aneurysm, and fill it with coils of platinum wire or with latex. This prevents further blood from entering the aneurysm and resolves the problem.

Both these options have the risk of damaging the blood vessel and causing more bleeding, damaging nearby brain tissue, and causing the surrounding blood vessels to go into spasm; depriving brain tissue of blood supply and causing a stroke.

Prior, during, and after surgery, attention is paid to protect the brain and its blood vessels from potential further damage. Vitals signs are monitored frequently, and heart monitors are used to watch for abnormal heart rhythms. Medications may be used to prevent blood vessel spasm, seizure, agitation, and pain.

What is the outcome of brain aneurysm?

Brain aneurysms are deadly. About 10% of patients with a ruptured aneurysm die before receiving medical care. If untreated, another 50% will die within a month, with 25% of patients sustaining another bleeding episode within a week. Aside from the bleeding issues, there is significant risk of artery spasm leading to stroke.

Survival rates are increased by early presentation to the hospital, early aneurysm repair, and control of potential blood vessel spasm with medications.

Reviewed by Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD on 9/13/2011

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