Aneurysm

[AugustRose]

Has anyone had experience of, or had a family member discover they have an aneurysm?

My DM was recently told she had a 6mm aneurysm at the base of her brain and is currently waiting for an angiogram so that it can be investigated further. The likely outcome will be an operation to insert a wire coil into the aneurysm which I believe allows the blood to flow through it.

We are obviously all quite worried about it and DM is concerned about having a stroke/locked-in syndrome as a result. She has stopped driving but is coping well.

I suppose I'm just looking for positive outcomes or any information on what we might expect after any operation.

Thanks

If you are looking for positive outcomes, this is exactly what Karren Brady had - she was back at work in a month.

It is very good news to have discovered this before it has done any damage and so your DM can have the preventative coil procedure, after which she should be able to get on with her life happily knowing she's avoided potential disaster.

DH had an aneurysm but only discovered this after it had burst, resulting in a sub-arachnoid haemhorrage. He had it coiled the day of the haemhorrage. The coils are to fill the aneurysm so that it doesn't fill with blood, making the blood go its usual route along the artery.

They went up through an artery in DH's leg with a little nick in the skin and you couldn't tell anything had been done. Much better to have it sorted now than have the possiblity of it bursting.

Thank you for your replies, it does help to know the coiling works, I'm hoping she won't have to wait too long before they operate.

I survived a sub-arachnoid haemorrhage aged 16. I am a medical mystery as its virtually unheard of for someone so young to have that particular aneurysm.

My bleed was "clipped" as it had burst. I wasn't expected to survive but I did and have had no side affects or disability as a result. I'm now 37 and healthy.

Sending healing thoughts your way x

Depending on the size and shape of the aneurysm it will either be clipped (by a neurosurgeon) or coiled ( by an interventional neuroradioligist). The coiling is less invasive as they place the coils by passing wires along blood vessels rather than opening the skull. Both have good results particularly if the surgery is planned rather than emergency. They get a lot of information from the scans and will be able to explain it all to you after they have the images and know exactly what they are dealing with and how to approach it.

I get confused as to the terminology, mine was a "berry" aneurysm which burst and caused a sub-arachnoid haemorrhage. I think. I should know really....!

Tends to have good results if it's a planned coiling - I work in this field as well and have rarely seen any long term issues in a planned coiling. Emergencies on the other hand are a bit different but it sounds like it's all been caught in time. Locked in syndrome would be a very unlikely outcome in my experience.

I have to admit I don't understand all the terminology either - my job means I don't totally need to , I know enough though that coiling is generally pretty successful.

Don't know the technicalities, but my aging uncle had an aneurysm and lived a good ten years after the operation. We were all so grateful to the doctor who detected it.

Thank you, you have all helped to ease my mind. It's just knowing it's there now, she was fine before going through her normal day, and now she worries about everything - making sure she doesn't raise her BP or do anything too strenuous.

Her own mum (adoptive not biological) died from a brain hemorrhage at the age of 64, and she is now 64 so I know this is playing on her mind.

Fingers crossed everything is going to be good. Thanks again.