An aneurysm is an abnormal bulge in an artery caused by a weakening of the artery's wall. Some aneurysms are caused by atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), the buildup of cholesterol and other fatty deposits, and high blood pressure. Other aneurysms are caused by injury, infection or an inherited blood vessel weakness. Aneurysms can occur in any blood vessel, but they occur most often in the brain and in the abdominal aorta.
An aneurysm can be life-threatening if it grows large enough to rupture. Once a cerebral aneurysm ruptures and fills the brain with blood, the effects can be devastating.
Treating an Aneurysm
- Aneurysm clipping - In this procedure, neurosurgeons remove a section of the skull, navigate the brain tissue to the aneurysm, and then place a tiny metal clip that stops blood flow into the aneurysm. This can keep the aneurysm from bursting or it can prevent re-bleeding of an aneurysm that has recently hemorrhaged.
- Endovascular treatment - Until recently, brain aneurysms were most commonly treated through the surgical clipping procedure that involves a craniotomy. Now, in some cases, interventional neurologists using the biplane angiography system can repair the rupture from inside the vessel without open surgery and incisions. Studies show that this non-invasive treatment of aneurysms is safer with fewer complications, shortening hospitalization and recovery time.