Intracranial Aneurysms and Treatment Options — TIBSS

Intracranial Aneurysms and Treatment Options

An intracranial aneurysm also is known as cerebral aneurysm is referred to the bulging or weakening of an artery wall in the brain that results in unnatural expansion or blebbing.

It is this vessel that creates a blister-like dilation that further becomes feeble and ruptures without any prior warning. This further leads to bleeding around the space in the brain, known as subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH). This type of haemorrhage can also result in a stroke, coma or even death at times.

Aneurysms are generally spotted at the foundation of the brain, present just within the skull, in a zone called the subarachnoid space. As a fact, almost 90 percent of the SAHs are ascribed to ruptured intracranial aneurysms and both these terms are used identically.

According to the best neurologists in Chandigarh at The Institute of Brain and Spine Surgery, the most commonly detected type of cerebral aneurysm is termed as a saccular, or berry aneurysm.

It is majorly seen in 90% of the cases with intracranial aneurysm. This is one of a kind that has a berry-like appearance with a narrow stem attached to it. However, there can be multiple aneurysms in the brain.

Probing further the other two kinds of cerebral aneurysms seen in the cases referred to as the best brain surgery hospital in Chandigarh are fusiform and dissecting aneurysms. The former is a type that protrudes from every side (circumferentially), creating a dilated artery.

Moving on to the dissecting aneurysm, it occurs due to the leakage of the blood oozing out from between the layers of the artery walls. This issue arises from the tearing of the artery along its length, situated within the inner layer of its wall.

It further might also result in the ballooning on the outside of a side of the artery wall, or it might also hinder the way of the blood flowing through the artery.

The best neurologists in Chandigarh practising at TIBSS considers both the shape and location of the aneurysm that determines the appropriate treatment for the issue.

Coming to the size of aneurysms, it ranges from 1/8 inch to approximately one inch. However, if the aneurysms are detected to be bigger than one inch in size it is termed as giant aneurysms, which makes the case more complicated and risky. Although a number of factors are responsible for the formation of intracranial aneurysms, some of them include:

• High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)
• Genetic Predisposition (Congenital)
• Cigarette Smoking
• Traumatic blood vessels (Injury to the vessels)
• Complications cropped up from a certain type of blood infections

Broadly there are in total of three treatment options that are recommended to the patients with cerebral aneurysms, by the best neurosurgeons in Chandigarh. These are as follows:

• Non-surgical therapy
• Surgical therapy ( Surgical Clipping)
• Endovascular Coiling Therapy

Treatment Options for Intracranial Aneurysms at TIBSS

Being the best neurology hospital Chandigarh, the neurosurgeons here consider various factors before recommending any particular type of treatment. These factors are:

• Size and location of the aneurysm
• Symptoms depicted
• Patient’s age
• Patient’s medical history and current condition
• Risk involved

Besides these, there are even more intricate factors that our doctors examine closely prior to beginning any treatment.

Medical Therapy

This is generally an option for those with unruptured intracranial aneurysms. It includes strategies designed for curbing smoking and controlling blood pressure.

In this case, both patients and doctors work collaboratively to customize a program for smoking cessation and high blood pressure control, as the case may be. Once started periodic radiographic imaging can be done to monitor the size and growth of the aneurysm.

Surgical Clipping

This is a treatment procedure that includes the surgical elimination of a part of the patient’s skull. The neurosurgeons here at the best neurology hospital in Haryana, uncover the aneurysm and position the metal clip across the neck of the aneurysm to avoid the blood flow into the aneurysm sac. Having it set, the skull is then resurrected to its original form.

Endovascular Therapy

It is considered to be the minimalistic invasive procedure, where no such incision is required in the skull for treating an intracranial aneurysm. Instead, a catheter is passed through the blood vessels into the groin, further into the blood vessels present in the brain.

For this treatment, the team of best neurosurgeons in Chandigarh at TIBSS employ Fluoroscopy (live X-ray) for the assistance of incorrect placement of the catheter into the head and then into the aneurysm.

Post the placement of catheters; small platinum coils are inserted through the catheter into the aneurysm. These coils can be seen on the live X-rays and it complies with the aneurysm’s shape. This further clots off the coiled aneurysm, avoiding further rupture.

The best neurosurgeons in Chandigarh like Dr. V.K. Batish, Dr. Manish Budhiraja at TIBSS believe that it is highly important to seek the patient’s consent before getting onto any medical procedure to treat an intracranial aneurysm.