Clipping and Coiling

When an aneurysm in the brain is diagnosed, it can be a scary realization. The effects of a brain aneurysm rupture or bleeding can be devastating. The prognosis and the likelihood of a full recovery, however, are relatively excellent if the condition is detected and treated early. For the same, two standard approaches exist.

Clipping

Aneurysms in the brain are often treated by surgically cutting the aneurysm using a tiny clip. This method was pioneered by a surgeon at Johns Hopkins Hospital in the 1930s, and we have since perfected it. In this sophisticated operation, our neurosurgery team enters the brain through a tiny hole. The aneurysm is clipped with titanium by the neurosurgeon. The clip prevents further blood flow into the aneurysm while protecting healthy blood arteries. It also stops the possibility of a brain bleed. The risk of a second aneurysm developing after this treatment is lower, so fewer checkups are required. It’s an invasive surgery that needs a recovery of at least four to six weeks.

Coiling

Technological advancements have allowed neurosurgeons to repair some types of brain aneurysms with endovascular techniques that need just a small incision in the patient. An aneurysm can be treated endovascularly, from within the blood artery, with specialist technologies like coiling or stent embolization. To treat such situations, we insert a stent into the blood artery (near the aneurysm’s entrance) and use specific procedures to redirect the blood flow away from the aneurysm. Aneurysms can also be treated by inserting a coil into the aneurysm to divert blood flow. The aneurysm can be treated without making an incision in the head by inserting a catheter through a puncture hole in the leg and traveling through the blood arteries to the affected area. Endovascular operations are less invasive but nonetheless difficult surgeries. That means less time spent recuperating—typically just a week. The fact that this method can permanently repair an aneurysm is very encouraging.