Aneurysm Treatment Options

We are one of the only facilities in the area to offer an innovative new treatment in which miniature coil-like devices are placed into an aneurysm to prevent rupture of an aneurysm. The body responds by forming a fibrin-rich blood clot around the device, strengthening the weak spot in the artery and reducing the risk of aneurysm rupture.

This minimally invasive procedure is usually performed under general anesthesia but can also be performed under local anesthesia for some patients. The physician inserts a catheter, or thin tube, through the groin area, carefully navigating it through the blood stream to the location of the aneurysm or vascular malformation.  This procedure is not painful because there are no nerve endings inside the blood vessels. The entire procedure lasts about two to four hours.

After the procedure, the patient is taken to the ICU for overnight observation, and can usually be sent home the following day with an expected recovery period of five to seven days—compared to five to seven days in the hospital and three to six weeks for recovery with traditional surgery.

This innovative “coil” procedure greatly reduces hospital stays and recovery times for patients with non-ruptured aneurysms. In fact, The International Subarachnoid Aneurysm Trial (ISAT) conducted studies at 43 centers in countries, such as the United States, Canada and Europe, and determined that the “coil” procedure improves outcomes for patients with aneurysms over more traditional surgical methods.

If an aneurysm has ruptured, a patient will usually stay in hospital for two to three weeks, depending upon the patient’s overall medical condition and any complications due to the hemorrhage.

Potential Complications

Even with the latest treatments, there is a risk that the aneurysm could rupture (prior to being secured with a surgical clip or endovascular coil), or that adjacent vessels might be damaged. There are also risks associated with anesthesia, a potential for bleeding at the entry site in the groin or damage to the kidneys from X-ray dyes used during the procedure.

Our multi-disciplinary neurovascular team will evaluate and explain all the risks to each patient and will recommend treatment only after establishing that the benefits outweigh the potential complications.

For more information about our aneurysm treatments, please call (727) 461-8635.

The Neurosciences Institute
at Ptak Orthopaedic & Neuroscience Pavilion
430 Morton Plant Street
Clearwater, FL 33756
(727) 461-8635