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Coiling of brain aneurysms
A guide for patients and carers
What is an aneurysm?
Aneurysms can occur in any blood vessel throughout the body, but they usually occur on larger blood vessels at points where an artery branches. If the wall of
the aneurysm tears or bursts, blood leaks in to the surrounding tissues; when this happens in the brain it is called a sub-arachnoid haemorrhage. Not all aneurysms tear or burst, these are called unruptured aneurysms. Approximately, 80% of aneurysms form in the front of the brain and 20% in the back of the brain.
The aim of treatment for brain aneurysms is to prevent them from bleeding or rebleeding.This leaflet concentrates on a technique called coiling, however, there are other ways of treating brain aneurysms. One main technique is called clipping.
Clipping is a surgical procedure where a small metal clip is placed across the neck of the aneurysm closing the connection between it and the blood vessel. Clipping involves having a general anaesthetic and a craniotomy which is an operation to open the skull to gain access to the brain.
Another technique which is occasionally used together with coiling is called stenting. A stent is a very small, metal mesh, which is used to support the walls of an artery.This is used for wide necked aneurysms which can be difficult to treat using conventional methods.
The decision about which method should be used to treat an aneurysm is made by a neurosurgeon, interventional neuradiologist (a specialist who treats aneurysms via the blood vessels) and other members of the healthcare team. The method chosen will be the one most suitable for your particular aneurysm. The decision will depend on a number of factors, for example the size and position of your aneurysm.
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