Aneurysm embolization procedures can be performed under general anesthesia or under light sedation. The procedure may last only a few hours, or it may last the greater part of a day. This is often not predictable, and family members should not be frightened simply because a case takes longer than expected. This rest period allows the needle hole in the groin artery to heal. The patient usually remains under observation in the hospital for at least one more day before returning home.
Longer stays are common, depending on the patient's condition.
It is important to understand that the embolization procedure does not repair areas of brain already injured by a stroke. It is performed to prevent the aneurysm from causing injury to other areas in the future. A patient who has had a severe stroke may continue to need intensive medical care even after the aneurysm has been embolized. Most patients will also need to return for follow-up arteriogram, usually performed several months after the embolization procedure. This is to make sure that the aneurysm is completely embolized and has not grown larger.