Hello everyone! Did anybody have stent assisted coils procedure and if yes how did everything go and how are you doing now? Also if anybody had pipeline+coils procedure I’m interested also!
I was diagnosed with 2 brain aneurysms 2 month ago. I’m 28 years old mother of two small kids. I had pressure in left side of front of my neck and fullness in left ear going on for 6 month. I also have numbness/pressure on left side of my head. After few trips to doctors and few rounds of different medications I’ve decided to go to the ER. That’s where I had head and neck Ct scan and found out I have 2 brain aneurysms. Had an angiogram performed and the diagnosis was 7 mm complex aneurysm of the ophthalmic segment of the ICA on the left side and 5 mm aneurysm of the ophthalmic segment of the ICA on the right side, both are very wide neck.
I met with few surgeons, they have different opinions on how best to treat my aneurysms. (By the way they don’t think my symptoms are caused by my aneurysms…) One doctor is saying that pipeline embolization is best for both of them and he wants to perform 2 separate procedures. The other doctor thinks that pipeline+coils on the left side and pipeline alone on the right side is the way to go and he wants to try to fix both of my aneurysms in one procedure. He thinks I need coils+pipeline on the left because, like he said, my aneurysm is “ugly” looking and he wants to protect it with coils immediately. Coils+pipeline seems like too much to me and fixing both aneurysms in one procedure seems risky. The last doctor I saw thinks that stent assisted coils for both of my aneurysms are better choice. The one thing I’m scared the most about stent assisted coils is 30% recurrence rate… With pipeline I’m scared about all of the possible risks and the fact that its relatively new procedure and there is no long term follow up results data. Its very hard to make the decision since all of the doctors offered different treatment plan for me. I need to make a decision fast because that “scary” looking aneurysm description doesn’t let me relax, I have constant fear of it rupturing.
So If anybody has a story similar to mine or if anybody had underwent treatments that I’m about to undergo I would greatly appreciate you to share with me!
Dear Anna, I am 48 years old. I was diagnosed with a Aneurysm in June of 2013. I also was having headaches. They told me they didn't think my headaches were caused by my aneurysm but that is hard for me to believe. I met with one doctor to go over my choices. Mine were coiling or coiling with pipeline. I myself was afraid of the pipeline because it was so new. I asked my doctor if I was his loved one which one would he do and he told me both. I think because the coils can come out depending on the size of the aneurysm. The pipeline is extra insurance. I went in to surgery with just coiling planned but knew there was a chance for both because of the size. I ended up with both because the coils were not staying in. I just went in for my 6 month angiogram and everything looked great. He said the pipeline was doing what it is suppose to do. Untill I got on this support group I didn't think there were many with the pipeline but found out there were many and they were all doing fine. I know it is a very scary thing. I felt the same as you. I am actually very thankful there was the pipeline in my case. God bless and good luck to you in your decision. Deb
Anna...I forgot to ask where you live? What state? Before these procedures I was on Plavix and aspirin 17 days before and 6 months after. My doc told me the studies show that the complications with the pipeline were because patients were not on the blood thinners long enough. Deb
Wish I could help...but I had coiling without stent...~ Colleen
Hi Deb! Thank you for your time to reply to me! I’m very glad that your surgery went well and everything looked good at your follow up check up! It’s comforting to know that someone had pipeline with coils done and everything worked out great!
I’m from Chicago area, recently moved to kenosha, wi. Just an hour away from Chicago. Can I ask you who was your doctor? Interesting, the doctors I consulted with told me I need to be on plavix for 7 days prior the procedure. I will make sure to ask them if being on meds longer prior the surgery will mean less complications. Thank you for helpfull info 
And thank you for wishing me luck! I will need it God bless!
Anna.
Thank you, Coleen. I hope you are doing good after your surgery!
Anna.
Anna, I am in Minnesota. I had dr. Delgado at Abbott Northwestern in mpls. I did do research on him prior to my surgery. He had very good credentials and specialized in Aneurysms. I asked a lot of questions like how many he did and what were any complications he had. God bless. Deb
Hi Anna, well you & I are in the same boat trying to educate ourselves in which is the better choice! Isn't it exhausting? It seems like that is all I think about these days and wish the neurosurgeon & team would sway me one way or the other, but they want me in a trial..... imagine where a computer would decide! Wishing you good luck & thinking of you. Will keep an eye out on this discussion!
Hi Dee! It is truly exhausting, indeed! Like you, I think about it non stop, even my dreams are aneurysm related. The worst part for me is trying to choose between different opinions and doctors! I think I will never make the decision. I know how you feel! Thank you for your support! Hope everything works out perfect for you, best of luck with everything!
Thank you for sharing Jo, really appreciate it! I’m glad your follow up results were good! I’m sorry to hear that you suffer from migraines after your procedure. Hope the botox treatment worked for you! I suffer from migraine headaches also since as long as I can remember…
Thank you for the info I will check him out!
Hi Anna, I/ve been thinking about you all day as I re-read your story. I was only 30 when dr. tried to clip my aneurysm and the only thing I could think about was living for my two boys who were only 5 & 6 at the time, so I just went for it, no questions asked,never thinking a second opinion and boy did I ever regret it. I too wake up at night crying, trying to figure a solution, but I won't rush this time I want to be as sure as possible the righth thing to do.....but my boys are no 38 & 40 so, no we're not in the same boat.....your kids need mommy! Thought & prayers for you!!
Hello Anna,
I am 34 year old and have 2 little kids. I was diagnosed with left opthalmic segment 6 mm ICA aneurysm. It was complex wide necked. It was incidentally diagnosed when I was 39 weeks pregnant and went to ER with headaches. I am a physician myself and Neurosurgeon I saw was someone known to me through family friends. He offered stent assisted coiling or pipeline and said he will decide at the time of procedure which way he will go.I did not ask lot of questions because I thought he will make best decision for me. Dont know whether I was right or wrong. I believe stent assisted coiling is relatively new procedure compared to simple coiling.
I was not aware of this forum before my procedure.
He did pipeline on me and put in 2 small coils to completely shut it off.
My aneuyrsm had 2 lobes with wide neck.
I had my 6 month angiogram 3 weeks ago and aneurysm is completely occluded and artery is 100 percent patent.
Only thing is I am struggling with headaches every day which started 3 months after procedure. Dont know is it related to pipeline or any procedure in the head can cause headaches. I moved to different state and seeing another NS.
Hope this will help little bit
Feel free to ask questions
Dee, thank you! I just read your story also… you went through so much!! You just have to be strong and think positive, I know you’ll make the right decision and I’m sure this time everything will be fine! I will keep you in my prayers!
Hi Anna, I am in the UK but I had stent assisted coiling in April 2012 after being diagnosed with two aneurysms after one burst, they only coiled the first one but the second one was stent assisted, I am 57 years old and well apart from the odd headache, I have just started looking after my two of my grandchildren, I hope this helps with your options, take care of yourself, Gill xxx
Hello Shifa! Thank you so much for sharing your story with me! It helps me a lot! I can only imagine how much stress you went through when you learned about your aneurysm during your pregnancy! I’m glad you are over with your surgery and your aneurysm is completely occluded! I hope your headaches will go away soon, I heard that a lot of people suffer from bad headaches after pipeline or coiling, I guess it’s the way the brain trying to adjust to all of the intervention and it’s a part of the healing process. I know that many people feel better after few month and their headaches become less frequent and completely go away with time!
My left aneurysm is complex wide neck and its bilobal also. One of the doctors who suggested pipeline+coils as a treatment also said that at the time of procedure he could change his mind and use stent assisted coils instead of pipeline. Did you have general or local anesthesia? He said I can have local anesthesia if I wanted to. Also you mentioned that your surgeon placed 2 small coils, does it mean that he didn’t tightly pack your aneurysm with coils, did he leave some space in there and just placed couple of coils for extra protection? I’m scared of a risk of puncturing the aneurysm sac during coiling since my aneurysm has 2 lobes and the walls are probably thin. Did they take you off plavix yet? Sorry for all the questions, your story just very similar to mine ).
Anna.
Hi Gill! Thank you for sharing with me! It does help me a lot with decision making. I’m glad to hear that your surgeries went well and I hope your headache will go away soon!
Anna.
Hello Anna,
He did not tightly pack the aneurysm with coils due to risk of rupture.
He just wanted to give it an extra protection. They dont recommend tightly packing the aneurysm with coils when you have pipeline. As I told you neurosurgeon was someone known to me. If you go for stent assisted coiling they will have to tightly pack aneurysm with coils, however in pipeline they dont necessarily have to put in coils until and unless they need extra protection. So risk of bleeding is less with pipeline.
I had local anesthesia. I am off of plavix now. I take aspirin 325 mg only.
They will decrease dose to 81mg after 1 year angio.
Hope this helps. Good luck with your decision. I can completly understand how tough it is when you have 2 little kids. I have 5 year old and 8 month old.
Shifa, thank you for all the information, it is very helpful to me! My kids are 6 and 1