Brain aneurysm
Duke’s neurosurgical specialists use the latest imaging and surgical instruments to manage and treat brain aneurysms. Our goal is to diagnose the bulging or weakened areas that occur in the walls of arteries that supply blood to the brain before they rupture. If rupture occurs, our expert team is equipped to treat life-threatening aneurysms and minimize your risk for serious complications that may arise.
Expert emergency care for brain aneurysms
Brain aneurysms, also called cerebral or intracranial aneurysms, are weak, bulging areas in the wall of arteries responsible for supplying blood to the brain. Often they exist with no symptoms, and and require expert emergency treatment if severe symptoms, such as sudden headache, nausea, vomiting, blurred vision and fainting occur. As a high-volume referral center for people with aneurysms, our highly skilled cardiovascular team use sophisticated diagnostic imaging to determine whether you will benefit from treatment or observation before an aneurysm ruptures. If emergency surgery is needed, our surgeons perform complex procedures that repair damage caused by torn or ruptured aneurysms, and work with you to prevent or the reduce the risk of complications that may result, including stroke.
Choose Duke for your brain aneurysm care because we offer:
- Experienced neurosurgeons. Our cerebrovascular surgeons have extensive training and experience in the the full range of aneurysm prevention, management and treatment. From emergency situations in which weak artery walls create immediate risk to less urgent cases where a comprehensive assessment is required before surgery, we ensure you receive the most appropriate treatment for your condition.
- Complex procedures, successful outcomes. We have extensive experience performing surgery on large aneurysms, which is extremely complex and often a life-saving procedure.
- Advanced diagnostic imaging. We use the most advanced equipment and procedures to diagnose and treat brain aneurysms including high resolution 3-D x-ray tools to generate highly detailed images of blood vessels in the brain.
- Sophisticated microsurgical techniques. Our surgeons are experts in performing microsurgery using powerful microscopes help our specialists complete complex procedures safely and precisely.
- PATIENT STORYComplex Aneurysm Removed During Life-Saving Brain Surgery
After recovering from life-saving brain surgery, Connie Gonzalez says, "for me to go through what I did with no complications, that’s a testimony to his skill...
BRAIN ANEURYSM
Treatments
-
Surgeons create a incision in the back of the head through which they place small metallic clip or clips along the neck of the aneurysm. Clipping the aneurysm prevents blood from entering the aneurysm sac and reduce the risk for future bleeding.
-
Reroutes blood flow around the weakened artery using a blood vessel from another part of your body, usually the leg. The new artery bypasses the damaged blood vessels and restores healthy blood flow to the brain.
-
Using high resolution images, your surgeon inserts tiny coils in the weakened artery to block or reduce the flow of blood to the aneurysm. This procedure reduces the risk of rupture or future bleeding into the brain.
BRAIN ANEURYSM
Tests
-
A catheter is inserted into a large artery and threaded from the groin to the neck, and a contrast agent or dye is injected and travels through the brain’s arteries. The contrast creates clear x-ray images used to pinpoint the location and severity of the aneurysm
-
High resolution, 3-D images of the brain and its blood vessels analyze the size, shape and location of the aneurysm, as well as potential bleeding or spasms that may signal an increased risk for stroke.