Surgical Treatment of Unruptured Cerebral Aneurysms

ABSTRACT

The authors report their experience with 73 cases of unruptured cerebral aneurysms in a consecutive series of intracranial microsurgery for 380 cerebral aneurysms in 307 patients from September, 1975 through March, 1984. Multiple, symptomatic, and incidental aneurysms are included in this group of 73 unruptured aneurysms. There was no mortality among fifty nine of these cases who had surgery. The only morbidity was due to massive postoperative vasospasm in a patient with multiple aneurysms, that developed on the site of ruptured aneurysm. Discussed in this report are characteristics of three categories of unruptured cerebral aneurysm patients and the principles of the management of unruptured aneurysms. In conclusion, all symptomatic unruptured aneurysms should be clipped immediately upon definite diagnosis, while decision for the operation of multiple unruptured aneurysms and aneurysms detected incidentally should be made with discretion by the surgeon.