Intracranial Aneurysms during the First Three Decades

ABSTRACT

A retrospective review was performed of 33 patients aged under 30 with intracranial aneurysms; seven were between ten and nineteen years old, and 26 were in their twenties. Aneurysms were much more common in men, with a male to female ratio of 2.31. Among the younger age group, the most frequent location was the internal carotid artery(71.4%), and in those in their twenties, the anterior communicating artery(61.5%). Compared with the overall patients with intracranial aneurysms, aneurysms of anterior communicating artery, internal carotid artery and anterior cerebral artery were more common among the younger patients, but middle cerebral artery and multiple aneurysms were rare in this age group. Angiographic vasospasms were observed in 8 patients, but symptomatic vasospasms were seen in only three, none of whom were in the younger age group. All patients underwent direct clipping of the aneurysmal neck. The surgical outcome was favorable in 91% of cases, and the mortality rate was 6.1%; the outcome was influenced by the patient's preoperative clinical status, but did not depend on their age or the timing of the operation.