To choose the best cerebral aneurysm treatment, your doctor first needs to accurately assess the bulge in the blood vessel. The greater the chance of the bulge rupturing, the more important it may be for you to have surgery. MRI and CT scans are commonly used to check the state of a cerebral aneurysm. If surgery is the best option, you and your doctor need to choose between the different types such as endovascular embolization and microvascular clipping.
The choice of the best cerebral aneurysm treatment is largely dependent on the risk of rupture. If an aneurysm in the brain ruptures, it can cause severe problems and even death. You should, for this reason, discuss any options carefully with your doctor. An accurate diagnosis of the condition and how severe it is are essential for making the right choice.
Diagnosing a cerebral aneurysm can be difficult because the symptoms don’t usually become apparent until after a rupture occurs. The bulges in blood vessels are often spotted accidentally when scanning for another condition. If a doctor suspects a cerebral aneurysm, more scans may be needed to assess its current state. These can include an MRI, CT scan, or an angiography, which uses a dye to inspect blood vessels.
In some cases, an aneurysm may not rupture at all, meaning that surgical cerebral aneurysm treatment is not required. Small bulges, or those in certain parts of the brain, might be unlikely to burst. In these situations, treatment depends on the person’s age, health, and the size of the aneurism. Choosing the best cerebral aneurysm treatment is usually a balancing act between the risk of surgery and the chance of the bulge rupturing at a later date.
If surgery is deemed to be the right cerebral aneurysm treatment, there are two main types available. Both have some risk associated with them, including the chance of a stroke or damage to blood vessels. Each case should be treated individually, with the appropriate surgery depending on a variety of factors such as family medical history and age.
One type of surgery, endovascular embolization, involves placing a catheter into the body and guiding it up to the aneurysm. Once there, the surgeon releases small balloons, or coils, which block the blood and cause a clot. This prevents the aneurysm from causing harm, but it may need to be repeated at a later date. Microvascular clipping, which is another common type of surgery, involves stopping blood from reaching the bulge. To achieve this, the surgeon places a small clip in front of the aneurysm.