Clinical Outcome of Surgery for Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysms

Objective : To determine the rationale for treating pure unruptured intracranial aneurysms[UIAs]. it is mandatory to know the risk of each treatment modality. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the surgical risk for treating UIAs. Methods : Between December 1994 and May 2005, 147 unruptured aneurysms in 135 patients were treated. The majority of these cases [94.6%] were treated with aneurysmal neck clipping. The remainder received aneurysmal wrapping [2.7%], trapping with bypass [20%], or proximal occlusion [0.7%]. The clinical outcomes were evaluated in each patient by the Glasgow Outcome Scale at one month post-surgery. Results : The patient pool consisted of 41 males and 94 females. The mean age was 55.9 years [range : $16{\sim}82$]. The aneurysms were located at middle cerebral artery in 63 [42.9%]. anterior communicating artery 30 [20.4%], posterior communicating artery in 26 [177%]. internal carotid artery[ICA] in 14 [95%], anterior choroidal artery in 4 [2.7%] and others in 10[6.9%]. One hundred fifteen [78.2%] of aneurysms were small [<10mm]. Others were large [10 to 25mm] and giant [>25mm]; 29 [19.7%] and 3 [21%] respectively. More than ninety percent [91.1%] of all patients recovered well. Mild to severe disability was seen in 8.7% of the patients. One patient succumbed to complications following injury to the ICA. Conclusion : The mortality and morbidity associated with UIA surgery at our hospital compared very favorably to the previous reported literature and with the previously established natural history of this disease.