One-third of all brain aneurysms rupture: the size is not a significant risk factor

VIDEO: This video depicts microneurosurgical clipping of an unruptured intracranial aneurysm, which is arising from the bifurcation i.e. branching point of two right middle cerebral arteries. In brief, the aneurysm locates in this...
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The lifetime risk for rupture of a brain aneurysm depends heavily on the patient's overall load of risk factors. However, a recent study by researchers from the University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Central Hospital demonstrated that the size of an aneurysm has no great significance on the risk of rupture.

This is a unique study in that it monitored aneurysm patients over their entire lifetimes, whereas typical follow-up studies last only between one and five years in duration. The study is also exceptionally broad in scope; Dr. Seppo Juvela points out that the only other place where a study of similar scope has been conducted is Japan. "It is unlikely that another similar, non-selected lifetime follow-up study on aneurysm patients will ever be conducted again," he states.

Current care practices are based largely on the results of previous, shorter studies. Such studies have shown that the size of the aneurysm is the most significant factor predicting its risk for rupture. Consequently, small ( END