Cerebral aneurysms should be called intracranial aneurysms. Intracranial aneurysms can be seen in neurology, neurosurgery or neurointerventional medicine.
Intracranial aneurysm is a common intracranial arterial lesion, which refers to the cystic bulge formed by limited abnormal expansion of intracranial arterial walls, and is most common in middle-aged and elderly people aged 40 to 60. The wall of intracranial arteries becomes thin after the formation of cystic bulge, and the local pressure is large, so it is very easy to rupture and cause intracranial hemorrhage.
Aneurysms that have already ruptured and bled should be treated as early as possible, and currently the main treatment modalities include surgery and interventional therapy. Surgery is mainly aneurysm clamping, which usually requires craniotomy and requires a visit to the neurosurgery department.
Interventional treatment is also possible, i.e., placing a catheter through the surface artery to the bleeding site for aneurysm embolization without opening the skull, which can be done in the Department of Neurology, Department of Neurosurgery or Department of Neurointervention, depending on the hospital.
There is no clear treatment guideline for unruptured aneurysms, and it is necessary to comprehensively evaluate the patient’s age, location and size of the aneurysm, underlying physical condition and other factors to determine the treatment plan, and preventive treatment can be considered for patients with large size or high risk of rupture and bleeding. For patients with large size or high risk of rupture and bleeding, prophylactic treatment can be considered.
It is recommended that patients with intracranial aneurysms go to the hospital as soon as possible to have their conditions fully evaluated by a medical professional before deciding on a specific treatment plan.