SURGICAL TREATMENT : CLIPPING
Surgery poses the lowest risk when it is performed before an aneurysm ruptures . The patient ’ s condition , the size and location of the aneurysm , and other factors determine the risk of surgery . Your doctor will discuss the risks and benefits of surgery with you and your family and answer any questions you may have .
Clipping is an open surgical procedure to seal off the aneurysm neck and , thus , prevent blood from entering the aneurysm , which obliterates it . Clipping of brain aneurysms has been available longer than endovascular therapy , and has excellent long-term results . In recent years , titanium clips have generally been used . These are MRI compatible and they will not set off alarms at metal detectors .
Used with the permission of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research . © All rights reserved .
The Procedure
A patient undergoing aneurysm surgery seldom requires blood replacement . If necessary , blood from the blood bank is used . You can also donate your own blood before the procedure , or have family members donate if you prefer .
This surgery is done under general anesthesia , so patients meet with an anesthesiologist before the procedure and are asked questions about their medical history .
A team of doctors , led by a neurosurgeon , performs the clipping procedure . This is an open surgery , which means the skull is cut and microsurgery is performed . Part of the preparation for this surgery may include shaving a section of the hair on your head .
The neurosurgeon makes an incision behind the hairline or on the back of the head , depending on the location of the aneurysm . From there a section of bone , or bone plate , is removed ( craniotomy ) from the skull to expose the brain tissue .
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