After studying the results of the tests described above, and depending on the size and location of the aneurysm, the neurosurgeon will recommend the most appropriate form of treatment. Microsurgical clipping This standard surgical technique, which has been used and perfected over the last 30 years, is performed with the aid of a surgical microscope through an opening in the skull. A microscopic, spring-loaded clip is used to permanently seal the bulge of the aneurysm off from the artery's blood flow. Once sealed off from the artery, the aneurysm collapses, preventing a rupture or further pressure on the brain. Blood flow through the artery is preserved, and the skull opening is repaired by replacing the removed piece of bone.
Patients usually require from five to seven days of hospitalization.
The goal of this procedure is to plug the aneurysm and prevent blood from flowing into this bulge in the artery wall. A small tube, called a catheter, is inserted into an artery in the groin and guided into the skull to the site of the aneurysm with the aid of x-rays. The catheter releases either a small balloon or wire coils into the bulge of the aneurysm, shutting it off from the flow of blood and preventing it from rupturing. Embolization preserves normal circulation through the artery and generally requires a hospital stay of two to four days. This technique involves surgically closing the segment of the artery containing the aneurysm and rerouting the flow of blood around this blockage, much like blocking off a damaged segment of a road and detouring the traffic.