Hey everyone - firstly can I say thank you for letting me join your group - I guess it’s a group none of us really want to join but I am so glad I’m here. I have felt so stressed as i face the incredibly difficult decision of agreeing to either coiling and stent or clipping - both are possible options to treat my unruptured aneurysm….. any advice or feedback on experience and feedback on either option would be so appreciated . Many thanks , Pauline
Hi Pauline,
Welcome to the group! I had a ruptured aneurysm back in February and it was coiled. So far, I’ve been extremely fortunate as I was in neuro ICU for 3 weeks and then spent a little under a week in a step-down unit before being released. I went through 6 weeks of in-home PT and I’m going to start out-patient soon. I’ve got an appointment with the neurosurgeon mid-May, where we’ll discuss the unruptured aneurysm I still have.
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Welcome Pauline! I’ve moved your post to its own topic from the Welcome Category to our General Category. If you don’t like the title, by all means change it. It was difficult for me this early am.
I ruptured and had endovascular repairs, it’s an odd aneurysm and as stubborn as I am. I always describe it as a blackberry type more than a blueberry as mine had over 24 daughter sacks. For me, the coils kept compacting so she had to keep going back in and adding more. I have four repair attempts and three diagnostic angiograms behind me and I’m doing fairly well. My last repair attempt was with a stent and it made a huge difference in my cognitive functioning. On the third repair attempt, Dr.Quintero -Wolfe thought she may have to do a craniotomy which she didn’t feel I was a good candidate for, but I don’t remembers why. I think the coils were getting pushed into the daughters. Dr.Q-W thinks it’s a sound theory as she let me share it with her Residents when I had the stent installed.
When we have to make tough decisions such as yours, I always suggest making a pros and cons list. Endovascular method is much less invasive but risks are there. Craniotomy’s method is higher risk but the fix appears to be more permanent for most (not all) our members. A few have to have a stent latter down the road. As with any surgery, we can’t forget all the risks of anesthesia.
Make sure your doctor gives you a complete list of the risks for all three. They’ll say in their notes they explained the risks prior to what ever procedure you choose and that you understand them. I wish they’d give us all a printout.
As I recall the list for anesthesia is pretty long. I get on the anesthesiologist when they name but four or five. I don’t remember all of the risks for it but stroke is there and allergic reactions. I know Dr. Q-W had me memorize them because I was going on her table a lot in the beginning. And I recall when BH was supposed to have some type of procedure, not brain related, the anesthesiologist said stroke wasn’t one of them and I got on him bad. I had no filter back then and it’s only a little better now.
. I remember because BH had a ischemic stroke the day after we went to the meeting with that anesthesiologist.
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Thank you for your response - I’m so glad you are recovering well . I am very fortunate as mine hasn’t ruptured and I also have choice which is good - the challenge is making the right decision with pros and cons for both approaches
Good luck with your ongoing recovery x
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Thank you so much for your honest and candid response - it’s much appreciated. Yes I have the pros and cons - both the neuro surgeon and neuro radiologist have been very good at giving me information - sadly the only thing they wont do is make the definitive decision
I wish you all the very best for your ongoing recovery x
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Hi @Pauline -
We are so delighted to have you with us as part of the family, and please let us know what we can do to support you in your decision-making process.
Like my colleagues, I also ruptured, and have had both coils and a stent, in addition to other hardware. Understandably so, I was not given any options regarding my repair! 
If it helps to understand what recovery is like from both operations, I am linking to a Medline Plus artice/patient instructions on brain aneurysm repair, as it describes what to expect after the different procedures at a high level:
Of course, as you have more questions about either approach, or just need to vent, please let us know what we can do to help you!
Fin Whale Fan 
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One thing you could ask is what they would recommend if it was their mother, wife, daughter relative, or themselves sitting in your chair. It’s a trick I learned while I was able to work. We were not allowed to recommend attorneys but families could ask who I would hire if I was in their place and I was allowed to answer. They may have the same legalities. I imagine they have expertise or preference in one area over another but they can’t tell you. Also ask how many of each have they done and if they are willing to share how many were successful in that the person came out with little to no issues.
Think of it as hiring a contractor and approach it that way.
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Thank you for your kind response - I’m so grateful x
Even though the clipping is so much more invasive I think I am drawn to the success rates and lack of reoccurrence - obviously I’m scared of the surgery and I’d love to hear from anyone that’s had clipping on an un ruptured aneurysm - have you recovered fully ? Were there any long standing deficits ?
I’m a little troubled about endo vascular route simply because of potential reoccurrence and /or higher vascular event after surgery ( stroke etc) and medication - of course the less invasive nature is a real plus.
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I had coil and stent, recovery is quicker and less side affects , god will guide you x
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