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Brain Aneurysm Surgery
A surgical procedure done to treat a ruptured brain aneurysm is known as brain aneurysm surgery.
A brain aneurysm is a ballooning or bulging in a blood vessel in the brain.
Most types of brain aneurysms do not cause any health problems and are often detected during testing for other conditions.
However, if a brain aneurysm leaks or ruptures it can lead to life-threatening bleeding into the brain, known as a hemorrhagic stroke. Therefore, a ruptured aneurysm requires prompt medical treatment.
Symptoms: The symptoms of an unruptured aneurysm may include:
- Pain behind and above one eye
- Dilated pupil
- Double vision
- Change in vision
- Numbness on one side of the face
The symptoms of a ruptured aneurysm, which may require a brain aneurysm surgery include:
- Extremely severe, sudden headache
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Stiff neck
- Double vision or blurred vision
- Seizure
- Sensitivity to light
- Confusion
- Loss of consciousness
- Drooping eyelid
-
Physical examination: The doctor will check the symptoms of the patient to diagnose a brain aneurysm.
-
CT scan and MRI scan: These are imaging tests done to obtain clear images of the brain and check if you have bleeding in the brain.
-
MRI angiography: It is a type of MRI that is used to assess the arteries in detail to detect the presence of a brain aneurysm.
-
Cerebrospinal fluid test: In case the patient has symptoms of a ruptured aneurysm which is not visible on the CT scan, the surgeon draws cerebrospinal fluid (the fluid surrounding the brain and spine) from the back using a needle to check for the presence of red blood cells, which may indicate a hemorrhage. This procedure of drawing cerebrospinal fluid is known as a spinal tap or lumbar puncture.
-
Cerebral angiogram or cerebral arteriogram: The doctor will insert a catheter (a thin, flexible tube) into an artery usually in the groin area, and guide it past the heart into the brain arteries. A dye is then injected into the catheter, which travels to the arteries in the brain. A series of x-rays are then taken to detect an aneurysm.
A brain aneurysm can be corrected using the following surgical procedures:
1. Clipping:
The surgeon makes an incision into the scalp.
A hole is created in the skull.
A small metal clip is then placed at the base of the aneurysm to prevent the rupture of the aneurysm.
The skull is then closed and the scalp is stitched (sutures).
2. Endovascular repair:
The surgeon makes a small incision in the groin area.
A catheter is then guided through the incision leading to the brain aneurysm.
The surgeon inserts a thin metal (platinum) wire into the aneurysm through the catheter tube, using a guide wire.
The platinum wire coils into a ball and initiates the formation of a blood clot.
This blood clot prevents the rupture of the brain aneurysm and also seals off the brain aneurysm from the artery.
The potential complications of brain aneurysm surgery are:
-
Infection
-
Bleeding
-
Blood clot formation
-
Allergic reaction to the anesthetic used
-
Behavior changes
-
Lack of co-ordination
-
Nerve injury
-
Brain swelling
-
Confusion
-
Seizures
-
Speech problems
-
Vision problems
-
Weakness
-
Stroke (a condition in which the blood supply to the brain is stopped)
- If there was no bleeding in the brain prior to the surgery, the patient may stay in the hospital for a few days after the procedure.
- The hospital stay may last for one or two weeks if there were complications before the procedure.
- The doctor may repeat CT scans or MRI scans in the follow-up appointments to ensure there are no complications.
- The patient will be prescribed medications to reduce the swelling for many weeks.
- In case of seizures during the hospital stay, the patient may be prescribed anticonvulsant medications for a long time.
- Pain medications may be prescribed in case of a persistent headache.
- Various therapies like physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, swallowing therapy, and cognitive therapy may be required after the surgery.
- Lifestyle changes, as recommended by the doctor, should be followed.
- Complete recovery may take many months, especially if there is brain damage due to an aneurysm rupture.
- The patient may have some permanent damage to the brain, especially if an aneurysm ruptures before the surgery.
Brain Aneurysm Surgery Cost from trusted Hospitals in Navi Mumbai
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Brain Aneurysm Surgery
A surgical procedure done to treat a ruptured brain aneurysm is known as brain aneurysm surgery.
A brain aneurysm is a ballooning or bulging in a blood vessel in the brain.
Most types of brain aneurysms do not cause any health problems and are often detected during testing for other conditions.
However, if a brain aneurysm leaks or ruptures it can lead to life-threatening bleeding into the brain, known as a hemorrhagic stroke. Therefore, a ruptured aneurysm requires prompt medical treatment.
Types: The different types of brain aneurysms are:
- Saccular aneurysms: They are the most common type of brain aneurysms. They tend to bulge out in the form of a dome shape from the main artery and are connected to that artery by a narrow neck.
- Fusiform aneurysms: They make a widened spot in the blood vessel.
Causes:
The exact cause of a brain aneurysm is not known. However, it is thought to occur due to weakness of the artery, at the junction where the artery branches into different directions, that may occur due to:
- Elastic tissue breakdown within the artery
- Stress from the flow of blood through the artery
- Tissue changes in the artery due to an increase in inflammation
- It usually develops as people age, most often after the age of 40.
- A brain aneurysm can also be present at birth (congenital).
Symptoms
Symptoms: The symptoms of an unruptured aneurysm may include:
- Pain behind and above one eye
- Dilated pupil
- Double vision
- Change in vision
- Numbness on one side of the face
The symptoms of a ruptured aneurysm, which may require a brain aneurysm surgery include:
- Extremely severe, sudden headache
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Stiff neck
- Double vision or blurred vision
- Seizure
- Sensitivity to light
- Confusion
- Loss of consciousness
- Drooping eyelid
Diagnosis
-
Physical examination: The doctor will check the symptoms of the patient to diagnose a brain aneurysm.
-
CT scan and MRI scan: These are imaging tests done to obtain clear images of the brain and check if you have bleeding in the brain.
-
MRI angiography: It is a type of MRI that is used to assess the arteries in detail to detect the presence of a brain aneurysm.
-
Cerebrospinal fluid test: In case the patient has symptoms of a ruptured aneurysm which is not visible on the CT scan, the surgeon draws cerebrospinal fluid (the fluid surrounding the brain and spine) from the back using a needle to check for the presence of red blood cells, which may indicate a hemorrhage. This procedure of drawing cerebrospinal fluid is known as a spinal tap or lumbar puncture.
-
Cerebral angiogram or cerebral arteriogram: The doctor will insert a catheter (a thin, flexible tube) into an artery usually in the groin area, and guide it past the heart into the brain arteries. A dye is then injected into the catheter, which travels to the arteries in the brain. A series of x-rays are then taken to detect an aneurysm.
Treatment
A brain aneurysm can be corrected using the following surgical procedures:
1. Clipping:
The surgeon makes an incision into the scalp.
A hole is created in the skull.
A small metal clip is then placed at the base of the aneurysm to prevent the rupture of the aneurysm.
The skull is then closed and the scalp is stitched (sutures).
2. Endovascular repair:
The surgeon makes a small incision in the groin area.
A catheter is then guided through the incision leading to the brain aneurysm.
The surgeon inserts a thin metal (platinum) wire into the aneurysm through the catheter tube, using a guide wire.
The platinum wire coils into a ball and initiates the formation of a blood clot.
This blood clot prevents the rupture of the brain aneurysm and also seals off the brain aneurysm from the artery.
Risks
The potential complications of brain aneurysm surgery are:
-
Infection
-
Bleeding
-
Blood clot formation
-
Allergic reaction to the anesthetic used
-
Behavior changes
-
Lack of co-ordination
-
Nerve injury
-
Brain swelling
-
Confusion
-
Seizures
-
Speech problems
-
Vision problems
-
Weakness
-
Stroke (a condition in which the blood supply to the brain is stopped)
After Procedure
- If there was no bleeding in the brain prior to the surgery, the patient may stay in the hospital for a few days after the procedure.
- The hospital stay may last for one or two weeks if there were complications before the procedure.
- The doctor may repeat CT scans or MRI scans in the follow-up appointments to ensure there are no complications.
- The patient will be prescribed medications to reduce the swelling for many weeks.
- In case of seizures during the hospital stay, the patient may be prescribed anticonvulsant medications for a long time.
- Pain medications may be prescribed in case of a persistent headache.
- Various therapies like physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, swallowing therapy, and cognitive therapy may be required after the surgery.
- Lifestyle changes, as recommended by the doctor, should be followed.
- Complete recovery may take many months, especially if there is brain damage due to an aneurysm rupture.
- The patient may have some permanent damage to the brain, especially if an aneurysm ruptures before the surgery.
FAQ Section
A brain aneurysm is a bulge or ballooning in a blood vessel in the brain and often looks like a berry hanging on a stem. A brain aneurysm can leak or rupture and can cause bleeding into the brain (hemorrhagic stroke), and usually, a ruptured brain aneurysm occurs in the space between the brain and the thin tissues covering the brain and is called a subarachnoid hemorrhage. A ruptured aneurysm quickly becomes life-threatening and demands quick medical treatment.
Brain aneurysm surgery is done to correct an aneurysm, a weak area in a blood vessel wall that makes the vessel bulge or balloon out and sometimes burst (rupture), bleeding into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) around the brain.
Potential risks of brain aneurysm repair include:
- behavior changes due to neurological injury.
- blood clots.
- brain swelling.
- confusion.
- infection.
- seizures.
- speech and vision problems.
- stroke.
The study found that short-term survival rates increased among patients who underwent the surgery to repair a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm, and the relative survival rate held steady at about 87 percent, and on average, patients who underwent repair for a ruptured aneurysm lived 5.4 years after surgery.
Yes, you can appear for the surgery to fix an aneurysm in your brain, preventing strokes, bleeding, and brain damage.
Without complications, a coiling procedure for an unruptured aneurysm typically takes between an hour and a half and three hours.
It will take three to six weeks to fully recover, but if you had bleeding from your aneurysm this may take longer, and you may feel tired for up to twelve or more weeks, and If you had a stroke or brain injury from the bleeding, you may have permanent problems such as muscle weakness, trouble with speech or thinking, or numbness.
If you had bleeding before, during, or after surgery you may have some short- or long-term problems which may be mild or severe, which for many people, these problems get better over time. You may feel sad, angry, or very nervous, which is normal. Have may have a seizure and will have to take medicine to prevent another one. You will have headaches that may continue for a while, which
is also common.
Brain aneurysm repair surgery in India can cost up to INR 3 lakh.
A ballooning or bulging of a blood vessel in the brain due to the weakening of the artery is known as a brain aneurysm.
A ruptured brain aneurysm or a brain aneurysm that is likely to rupture may need a surgical procedure to repair the brain aneurysm. This brain aneurysm repair procedure is known as brain aneurysm surgery.
The different types of brain aneurysms include:
- Saccular aneurysm: This is a common type of brain aneurysm, which bulges out from the brain artery in a dome shape and is attached to the artery by a narrow neck.
- Fusiform aneurysm: This type of aneurysm makes a widened spot in the brain artery.
The exact cause of a brain aneurysm is unknown. It occurs due to weakness in the brain artery, which is often seen at the junction where the artery forks or branches into different directions. This may happen due to:
The breakdown of the elastic tissue within the brain artery
Stress due to blood flow through the brain artery
Tissue changes seen in the brain artery due to inflammation
The following factors may increase the risk of developing brain aneurysm:
- Age above 40 years
- More common in women
- Family history
- High blood pressure
- Smoking
- Alcohol abuse
- Drug abuse
- Head injury
- Coarctation of the aorta (a congenital condition in which there is a narrowing of the aorta, which is the main artery of the heart)
- Arteriovenous malformations (congenital defect in the blood vessels of the circulatory system)
- Infections that damage the artery walls, causing mycotic aneurysms
- Genetic conditions like Marfan syndrome (inherited connective tissue disorder), Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (also an inherited condition affecting the connective tissues of the body), autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (a condition in which fluid-filled sacs or cysts grow in the kidney)
Small aneurysms normally do not cause any symptoms. When the brain aneurysm increases in size, it may press on the surrounding tissues and nerves to start producing symptoms.
The symptoms of an unruptured brain aneurysm are:
- Headache
- Pain above or behind the eye
- Numbness or weakness impacting one side of the face
- Double vision
- Blurred vision
- Dilation of a pupil
- The symptom of an aneurysm that leaks some blood into the brain is a sudden, severe headache. This is called a sentinel headache. This may occur days or weeks before the complete rupture of a brain aneurysm.
- The symptoms of a ruptured brain aneurysm are:
- Severe, sudden headache
- Stiffness of the neck
- Double vision
- Blurred vision
- Sensitivity to light
- Drooping eyelid
- Dizziness
- Difficulty in walking
- Trouble in communication
- Change in mental state or awareness
- Confusion
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Seizures
- Loss of consciousness
- A ruptured brain aneurysm can cause life-threatening bleeding conditions and requires prompt medical treatment.
The complications associated with a brain aneurysm are:
- Risk of re-bleeding
- Loss of consciousness
- Vasospasm (when the blood vessels in the brain narrow erratically)
- Ischemic stroke (blood flow to the brain cells is interrupted)
- Subarachnoid hemorrhage (rupture of the aneurysm causing bleeding between the brain and its surrounding tissue)
- Hydrocephalus (increased pressure on the brain causing damage to the tissues)
- Hyponatremia (a drop in the sodium levels in the blood, resulting in swelling of the brain cells and permanent damage to the brain)
The doctor will first examine the patient physically and note down the symptoms of the patient, along with the patient’s medical and family history. The following diagnostic tests may be recommended to confirm the presence of a brain aneurysm:
Imaging tests: CT scans and MRI scans are imaging tests done to obtain clear images of the brain. They help in diagnosing the presence of an aneurysm.
- Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tests: The cerebrospinal fluid (the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord) is obtained from the back using a needle. This procedure is known as a spinal tap or lumbar puncture. The presence of blood in the CSF may indicate bleeding in the brain.
- Digital subtraction angiography: A thin, flexible tube known as a catheter is inserted into an artery in the groin region. This catheter is then threaded up to the brain. A special dye is then injected through the catheter and x-rays are taken to check the blood vessels, which become clearer due to the injected dye.
The following preparation may be required before undergoing a brain aneurysm surgery:
The doctor needs to be informed about any medical conditions that the patient may be suffering from.
The doctor will have to be informed if the patient is taking any medications, supplements, or herbs.
If the patient is sensitive or allergic to any medications, anesthetic agents, latex, iodine, or tape, the doctor needs to be informed before the procedure.
The patient is instructed to stop taking blood-thinners like warfarin and aspirin a few days before the procedure.
The patient should quit smoking at least two weeks before the procedure.
The patient is instructed to not eat or drink anything after midnight the day before the surgery.
The doctor may recommend certain medications to relieve the symptoms of a ruptured brain aneurysm. These medications may include:
Pain-relieving medications, to treat pain due to headache
Calcium channel blockers, to prevent vasospasm
Vasodilators, to expand the affected blood vessels
Vasopressor, which is given intravenously (injected directly into the vein) to increase the blood pressure and overcome the resistance of narrowed blood vessels
Anti-seizure medications to treat seizures
The different surgical procedures that can be performed to treat brain aneurysms include:
Surgical clipping:
It is a procedure performed to close off an aneurysm.
A section of the skull is removed by the surgeon.
The blood vessel that feeds the aneurysm is located.
A tiny metal clip is then placed on the neck of the aneurysm to stop any blood flow to it.
Endovascular coiling:
This procedure is less invasive than surgical clipping.
A hollow plastic tube (catheter) is inserted into the artery, usually in the groin region, and threads it through the body to the brain aneurysm.
A guidewire is then used to push a soft platinum wire through the catheter into the aneurysm.
The wire will could up inside the aneurysm to disrupt the blood flow and seal off the aneurysm from the artery.
After a brain aneurysm surgery,
The patient is likely to stay in the hospital for a few days after the procedure if there was no bleeding in the brain before the procedure.
The patient may stay in the hospital for one or two weeks in case of brain aneurysm complications before the procedure.
The doctor orders CT scans or MRI scans during the follow-up appointments to ensure that there is no aneurysm.
The doctor may prescribe medications to reduce the swelling, headache, and pain following the procedure.
If the patient suffers from seizures during the hospital stay, the doctor prescribes anticonvulsant medications that need to be taken for a long time.
Various therapies like physiotherapy, speech therapy, swallowing therapy, occupational therapy, and cognitive therapy may be recommended to the patient after the surgery.
Lifestyle changes, medications, and diet should be followed, as per the doctor’s instructions.
Complete recovery may take several months, especially in cases of an aneurysm rupture.
There may be some permanent damage to the brain, especially in cases of aneurysm rupture that has occurred before the surgery.
The side effects of a brain aneurysm surgery may include:
- Infection
- Bleeding
- Blood clot formation
- Allergic reaction to the anesthesia or due used
- Nerve injury
- Changes in behavior
- Confusion
- Lack of co-ordination
- Swelling of the brain
- Headache
- Seizures
- Vision problems
- Speech problems
- Fatigue
- Stroke
The following lifestyle changes are recommended to prevent brain aneurysm, and if present, prevent the rupture of the aneurysm:
- Avoid alcohol consumption
- Quit smoking
- Limit the intake of caffeine
- Avoid drug abuse
- Eat a healthy diet
- Exercise regularly
- Avoid heavy lifting
- Keep your blood pressure under control