for this procedure. Tell your doctor if you are allergic to dye or shellfish.
When you need to stop eating or drinking before your procedure.
Your doctor will do an exam and may order: ‚
- Lab tests
- CT or MRI scan
- Angiogram
You will not be allowed to drive right away after the procedure. Ask a family member or a friend to drive you home. ‚
What happens during the procedure?
- In the operating room, the staff will put an I.V. in your arm to give you fluids and drugs. They will connect you to a device that will monitor your brain function, pulse, blood pressure, and heart rate.
- The doctor will give you a drug to make you sleep and stay pain free during the surgery.
- When you fall asleep, the staff will put a tube in your mouth to help you breathe. They will also put another small tube in your nose that goes down to your stomach to drain out any food or fluid during surgery. You will have another tube in your bladder to drain the urine.
- The staff will put your head into a device that will hold your head very still for the procedure.
- The doctor will remove a small part of bone from your skull to see your brain and the aneurysm.
- A small metal clip is placed at the base of the aneurysm to stop the blood flow going to the aneurysm.
- The doctor may also cut out the aneurysm. All the bleeding will be stopped and the doctor will put the bone of your skull back in place.
- Your doctor will close your cut with stitches or staples and cover it with clean bandages.
- This procedure may take 3 to 5 hours.
What happens after the procedure?
You will go to the Intensive Care Unit and the staff will watch you closely. ‚
- Your face or head may be swollen for a few days.
- You will feel pain when the anesthesia wears off. Your doctor will give you drugs to help with pain and upset stomach.
- The breathing tube will be taken out when you are able to breathe on your own.
- You may have a tube, or drain, in your head that measures the amount of pressure in the brain after your surgery. It is important to watch this pressure after the surgery. This tube and the ones in your stomach and bladder are taken out within a few days after your surgery.
- Within a day or two, you will get out of bed to a chair. The staff will help you start to walk around. Doing coughing and deep breathing exercises will help keep your lungs clear.
- You may stay in the hospital for about 6 days or longer if you have problems.
What care is needed at home?
- Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do.
- Take your drugs as directed by your doctor. Follow your doctors orders.
- Check and control your blood pressure and cholesterol level. Follow your treatment plan for these conditions.
- Talk to your doctor about how to care for your cut site. Ask your doctor about:
- When you should change your bandages
- When you may take a bath or shower
- If you need to be careful with lifting things over 10 pounds
- When you may go back to your normal activities like work, driving, or sex
- Be sure to wash your hands before and after touching your wound or dressing.
What follow-up care is needed?
- Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep these visits.
- If you have stitches or staples, you will need to have them taken out. Your doctor will often want to do this in 1 to 2 weeks.
- Your doctor may suggest that you have rehab therapy. Sometimes, speech or physical therapy is needed if there was bleeding in the brain.
What lifestyle changes are needed?
Get lots of rest. Sleep when you are feeling tired. Avoid doing tiring activities. ‚
What problems could happen?
- Swelling of the brain
- Bleeding in the brain
- Infection
- Seizures
- Stroke
- Brain injury
When do I need to call the doctor?
Activate the emergency medical system right away if you have signs of a heart attack or stroke. Call 911 in the United States or Canada. The sooner treatment begins, the better your chances for recovery. Call for emergency help right away if you have: ‚
- Signs of heart attack:
- Chest pain
- Trouble breathing
- Fast heartbeat
- Feeling dizzy
- Signs of stroke:
- Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body
- Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
- Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
- Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
- Sudden severe headache with no known cause
- A seizure
Call your doctor if you have: ‚
- Signs of infection. These include a fever of 100.4 ‚ °F (38 ‚ °C) or higher, chills, wound that will not heal.
- Changes in physical strength, behavior, mental status, or eyesight
- Trouble controlling body movement or walking
- Controlling your bladder
Where can I learn more?
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke ‚
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/cerebral_aneurysm/detail_cerebral_aneurysms.htm ‚
RadiologyInfo.org ‚
http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=dc-embol ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
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Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚