Resolved question:
My 64 year old Dad has a 5mm saccular aneurysm on the left middle cerebral artery and he also has a 80 - 90% blocked right carotid artery. The neurosurgeon is going to operate on both in the one operation. He will be stenting both the carotid artery and the brain artery by endovascular technique through the groin. We have been given a 2% risk for the carotid stenting and a 3% risk for the brain aneurysm stenting. The surgeon seemed to really emphasis this risk percentage to us. I felt that this was quite a low/good risk percentage but I'm concerned about how much the surgeon talked about this risk and kept going on about it.
Is a 5% risk for two operations all up a good percentage risk? Do you feel that indicates a good outcome to be likely?
I have been going out of my mind with worry for three months now which was when Dad was first diagnosed. He has been suffering constant daily headaches, dizziness/loss of balance and extreme tiredness for the past few months now.
Submitted:
4 Days
Category:
Radiologist
Hello,
Thank you for your query at DoctorSpring.com
The amount of risk which is being given for the procedures by your treating doctor is really surprising and definitely convincing for anyone to go-ahead with the treatment offered. Being a surgeon I would definitely give a higher percentage of risk. I would suggest if your doctor is confident about the figures given, then you can definitely go ahead.
It is safe to do both the procedures simultaneously.
All the best.
Since writing my last post, I have since found out it's a pipeline stent without coils. Would you still see this as safe? Or safer?
(Also, I forgot to mention that it's unruptured and was found through an MRI.)
The advantages and disadvantages of Pipeline stents and coils would be best explained by a interventional radiologist. But as far as I know, coils are the time tested choice.
Whereas pipeline stents are better than coils if they can be used depending upon the morphology of aneurysm.
Is there an interventional radiologist there that could answer my question? Thankyou.
Hello,
I have reviewed your query.
See, coiling is the better option for aneurysms, however, it may be dangerous as coiling involves working in the aneurysm. Sometimes, the shape does not permit to got for coiling, and in such cases, pipeline stents are used. They are relatively safer, and studies indicate even giant aneurysms like Berry aneurysms, have been treated successfully by the flow control stents.
Regards,
Dr. Malik
Last question, as I'm a naturally anxious person, I will find anything to be worried about and after all the positive feedback I've heard about the flow diverting stents, I'm still very anxious about it. My question is - have many of these type of stents been used on the middle cerebral artery? I know they've been used on other arteries but are they successful on the MCA as well? Thankyou so much for your help and your time, it's honestly very appreciated.
Yes, flow diverting stents have been successfully used on MCA too.
Please do not worry.
Regards.