The available options should be known if you suffer from a cerebral aneurysm. This article explains the risks and benefits of treatment and will provide you with information about the OHSU Brain Institute's expertise in treating brain aneurysms. It also covers the Efficacy of various aneurysm treatments.
Treatment of aneurysms with efficacy
Aneurysm treatment effectiveness can be assessed based on a variety of outcomes. A mRS score greater than two is the primary outcome of efficacy. This score is determined by an independent observer. The number of recurrences occurred in the followup period is another measure of effectiveness.
One study evaluated the occlusion rate for complex wide-neck bifurcation aneurysms. It was found that most aneurysms had become occlusive by six months. In addition, the angiographic appearance was either stable or improved. However, it showed that only a few aneurysms did recur after long-term monitoring.
Risk of rupturing
The risk of rupture after aneurysm treatments varies depending on the type of aneurysm. Aneurysms in the vertebral artery, vertebrobasilar junction, and basilar artery have higher risks than those in the anterior circulation. Patients with aneurysms more than 10 millimeters in diameter are at higher risk.
Other risk factors include smoking and alcohol abuse. Aneurysm rupture can be caused by the damage that cigarette smoking does to the arteries. A rupture can also occur when there is high blood pressure. Larger aneurysms can rupture without warning. Patients with posterior communicating artery aneurysms are also more likely to rupture than those in any other part of the body.
Aneurysm treatment techniques
Two main types of treatment for aneurysms include open surgery and Endovascular Coiling. Endovascular coiling is less invasive than open surgery. Both procedures require the use a catheter to pass through the blood vessel system.
The procedure involves inserting a thin flexible catheter into the neck to create an aneurysm. Next, a coil is advanced that looks like a spring. Once the coil is in position, it will seal off any openings. Sometimes multiple coils might be needed.
The expertise of the OHSU Brain Institute in treating brain aneurysms
The OHSU Brain Institute specializes on the diagnosis and treatment for brain aneurysms. They are balloon-like growths in the arteries that lead to damage to the brain. Subarachnoid hemorhage is when they can burst and cause serious bleeding in the brain. Fortunately, the OHSU Brain Institute is home to some of the nation's leading experts in brain aneurysms.
Aneurysms can occur in weak areas of the artery wall and can rupture at any moment. They can vary in size, from a few millimeters up to a quarter. They can form anywhere in the brain. However, most occur near the arteries that connect the brain to the base of skull. One type of aneurysm, called a saccular aneurysm, is attached to an artery by a stem and can have a narrow neck or a wide one.