Choice of treatment modalities for intracranial aneurysms

  This is the question that every patient and family members face, is it better to have traditional craniotomy or interventional treatment?  Craniotomy: In order to prevent the rupture and bleeding of intracranial aneurysm, the aneurysm can be exposed from outside the blood vessel through craniotomy, and the neck of the aneurysm (the part where the aneurysm bubble is connected to the cerebral blood vessel) can be clamped with a special clamp, so that the blood flow in the cerebral blood vessel will no longer enter the aneurysm and the aneurysm will not rupture; this method has a history of more than 70 years, and with the microscopic neurosurgery technology This method has been used for more than 70 years, and with the improvement of micro-neurosurgical techniques, there has been a continuous improvement in efficacy. The advantages are that if the aneurysm is completely clamped and no residual remains, the recurrence rate is very low, and it is also appropriate for patients with large combined intracranial hematomas, which can be removed at the same time as the surgery. The disadvantage is that the cranial cavity needs to be opened, which is relatively more traumatic, and another important issue is that the surgery requires a highly experienced and skilled neurosurgeon.  Interventional treatment: Another method is endovascular treatment, in which a very thin tube is inserted into the aneurysm by puncturing a blood vessel at the root of the thigh and filling a spring coil into the aneurysm, which also prevents blood flow from entering the aneurysm and achieves a therapeutic effect. The advantage is that it is minimally invasive, causes little damage, and does not require an incision or opening of the cranial cavity. This approach began in the early 1990s, and the results of the international multicenter randomized controlled study (ISAT) showed that the interventional approach was superior to open cranial clamping, reducing mortality and disability in patients. The disadvantage is that it is currently more costly and has a relatively high recurrence rate. In developed Europe, most patients choose this less invasive and safer interventional treatment.  Which method to choose?  For most intracranial aneurysms, both methods are available. The choice of method is based on the location of the aneurysm, the morphology of the aneurysm, the patient’s age, the patient’s general condition, the patient’s status after the onset, etc. The choice of method is also based on the experience of the physician.