And, both women are recovering with no loss of physical or mental function. Dr. Thomas Hurley and Dr. Ramsis Ghaly, neurosurgeons with CINN, performed delicate microsurgery on the women to clip off an aneurysm in their brains, thus preventing the aneurysm from bursting and causing a major stroke and possibly death. We were able to clip the aneurysm on the blood vessel without harming other vessels and parts of the brain. An aneurysm is a weakening in the wall of a blood vessel, causing a ballooning of the wall of the vessel and eventually its rupture. Use of a titanium clip at the neck of the ballooning vessel is a permanent cure which saves the other blood vessels and minimizes any damage to the brain.
Patients have the opportunity to recover without any loss of physical or mental capabilities.
The challenge of the surgery is to isolate the aneurysm while protecting other vessels. In the past, these cases used to be sent to Chicago's major hospitals, but now we can treat them here in Joliet at Silver Cross, allowing the patient to remain close to home with their loved ones. The partnership between CINN and Silver Cross means patients benefit from an entire staff of experts, from neurosurgeons to the nursing staff and more, who provide world-class health care close to home. Even diagnosis can be done at Silver Cross. It must be done early because two-thirds of patients with brain aneurysms die or enter a vegetative state after an aneurysm has been ruptured.