Abstract
Aim: Unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIA) are getting more frequently diagnosed in neurology and neurosurgery clinics as the quality and availability of diagnostic radiology methods increases. Due to the risk of rupture and bleeding, aneurysm occlusion should be considered.
The indication and the way of treatment are not yet fully agreed upon. We present results for UIA surgeries that were done during the last 9 years at our department and our approach on this topic.
Patients and methods: Patients with UIA that were operated on at our department were retrospectively analyzed with special consideration of procedure safety and full obliteration of the aneurysm. Results: 146 patients with 184 incidental or coincidental aneurysms were operated on during the last 9 years.
The most common localization was on the middle cerebral artery (40%). Perioperative complication occurred in 10% of cases and total surgery morbidity/mortality was 3.5/0%.
CTA examination performed in 143 patients proved full obliteration of the aneurysm in 99% cases. The average follow-up of the patients was 4.5 years.
Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that microsurgical treatment of UIAs was safe, effective in the long term and tolerated well by patients. Preferentially in UIA cases, where the main goal is to eliminate the risk of bleeding, surgery should always be considered as a therapeutic modality.