We like the doctors seem to use the same word for the repairing of aneurysms and the one where the surgeon looks to see what’s happening because they’re both angiograms. It does make it a bit confusing. The only difference in the two is when the Neurosurgeon is coiling they send the platinum coils through the catheter once they get to the aneurysms and then deploy the wire(s) into the aneurysm. They can also deploy the ballon and stents. They cannot clip it as this is done via craniotomy.
Tortuous is like a mountain road, with lots of turns, it’s not anything near what people like Mr. Richard has with AVM’s. Sometimes the turns aren’t so bad, more like a road along the coast rather than switchbacks. Sometimes arteries and veins are like the Interstate or Freeway (depending on where you live) with pretty straight roads and just some bends. In one of my femoral arteries I have a 90 degree turn! Think of them as the road sign that alerts drivers that the road is windy or the ones that tell the drivers there an abrupt sharp turn ahead. If you peruse the many article here http://neuroangio.org/. You will notice one of the common themes when arteries are discussed will be “except when it’s not”. It’s the alert that not all of us have arteries and veins like the straightforward artist renditions.
When members talk about headaches, etc, it’s usually because they’ve ruptured. It’s the common factor among all of us who’ve ruptured that we deal with migraines long after the rupture has been dealt with. There are also those of us who’ve ended up with some pretty serious neurological issues due to rupturing. Some of us have allergies to the contrast dye and it can be a problem depending on how severe of a reaction we get. This is why it’s very important to hydrate well afterwards to help the body get rid of the dye.
Sometimes, a repair can alter our brain patterns it seems. My second coiling gifted me with Foreign Accent Syndrome, a rare occurrence where one has an accent that others hear from a place not in their country. I’ve had everything from the Philippines, UK, Eastern Europe, Jamaica, etc be guessed. Some people determined that my accent was Hawaiian just because I was born there 
The Speech Therapist at Wake Voice where I finally received the diagnosis said people will think it’s from a place they’re accustomed to hearing accents from.
When I asked my Neurosugeon why I was having horrible headaches, she said she didn’t know. She explained there’s a lot about the brain they just don’t have answers to. You would be simply amazed at what they have learned since my Bio Psych lab back in the early ‘80’s! My Developmental Psych major has come in very handy with my rupture as I was ahead of the game knowing parts of the brain. I had also taken some training at the Agency where I worked a week or two prior. There’s a Psychologist down in Texas that’s been doing a very long study I imagine it’s nearing or passed three decades now with thousands of subjects. If you’re familiar with Psych Statistics, this would be considered a significant study.
When I was taking my university classes, it was believed that any damage to the brain after age five was irreparable. He has proven that no matter our age, our brains can keep repairing. It’s simply a matter of the neuro transmitters finding a new pathway. When Dr. Q-W said after my second repair that my brain was as good as it would get, I told her she was wrong. She said prove it lol, so I have! For me, it’s keeping my brain active and following her headache rule - hydrate, eat protein, hydrate some more, rest, hydrate some more. When her husband has a headache the first thing she asks him is “What have you eaten today and have you hydrated?” Sharing this with me has allowed me to remember. I can remember better with personal funny stories she has discovered. Even people without an aneurysm can feel fatigue, loss of concentration, etc.
Complications with an angiogram can be varied, it depends on the person. The first thing your doctor will go over is the risks of the procedure, starting with anesthesia and the actual procedure. The day of your procedure, the Anesthesiologist will come in and go over the risks again. Don’t be surprised if that person is not in the operating room with you. The common practice is to have a RN Anesthetist to be next to you. I’ve had many a good one by my side!
My complications have been allergic reaction with the Resident on call saying no one is allergic to dye. He was the same nitwit who didn’t put enough pressure on my femoral artery during the angiogram that day. I thought I was urinating all over their new table and kept apologizing to another Doctor (Shaw). Dr. Shaw reminded me I had a catheter but fortunately he looked and immediately called Dr. Q-W back. She’s a short small woman who must be strong as an ox. She threw the tall nitwit and did a handstand on my artery. I had a nasty hematoma and couldn’t do much of anything until it healed which took months. The more angiograms, the more sensitive to the dye and anesthesia I’ve become. Fortunately, I learned relaxation breathing back in 1976 and have practiced it so much that it’s just how I naturally breathe.
Generally, for me, there’s an angiogram to see what’s going on, then one a week or so later to do the repair and then the six month follow up. I’ve had a couple others thrown in for good measure. I think it’s about a baker’s dozen or more since 2013. Because I went into severe anaphylaxis the last time, I’ll never have another angiogram unless it’s to save my life. (Happy dance!). This doesn’t count all the CTA’s I had whilst a guest in NSICU for my rupture.
I’ve written too much again. I’m really hoping other members come and share their experiences. Remember the ones that are members who are no longer active are the ones with the many, many success stories. They don’t need our support anymore.