Brain Aneurysms

Approximately 3 to 6 million (or 1 in 50) people in the United States have unruptured brain aneurysms. The annual rate of subarachnoid hemorrhage due to an aneurysm rupture is about 8 to 10 in 100,000 people. Aneurysms rupture in all age groups, but the incidence is most prevalent in people age 50 to 60 years and more frequently in women, smokers and those with high blood pressure. We use state-of-the-art minimally invasive techniques to safely treat ruptured aneurysms with endovascular coil embolization. Unruptured aneurysms are treated in the same manner, sometimes in combination with a stent or a new tool called flow diverter. A flow diverter is a fine mesh tubular pervious graft that is placed in the healthy artery across the neck of the aneurysm to reduce the flow of blood and shrink the aneurysm. The flow diverter also serves as a scaffold for the growth of healthy endothelial tissue. This minimally invasive option offers cerebral aneurysm treatment using a small incision in the groin or the wrist. The catheter (narrow hollow tube- usually less than 1mm in diameter) goes inside the arteries to the aneurysm and blocks the flow of blood preventing any rupture. The patient usually goes home the next day with minimal downtime.