65-year-old patient with large brain aneurysm successfully treated using advanced stenting method

An advanced stenting technique was used to successfully treat a 65-year-old patient with a life-threatening brain aneurysm at MIOT International, Chennai.

A brain aneurysm, also known as a cerebral aneurysm, is a bulge or ballooning in a blood vessel within the brain, typically occurring in middle-aged and older adults. Symptoms include severe headache or loss of consciousness.

Aneurysms smaller than 5 millimeters are generally not deemed dangerous. However, if an aneurysm ruptures, it can lead to a stroke or even death. For Usharani, a resident of Chennai, the aneurysm measured 17 mm, was wide-necked, and located at the basilar artery, which supplies blood to the brainstem.

Dr. Karthikeyan Vanchilingam, lead, Neuro Interventional Radio diagnosis, MIOT International, said for incidental aneurysms that have low chances of rupture, endovascular coiling is typically the preferred treatment. However, the patient’s wide-neck aneurysm, which was of formidable size, posed risks of coil displacement and potential stroke.

While Y-stent-assisted coiling was initially considered to prevent this, the surgeons noted that it also carries stroke risks from blood clotting, requiring long-term blood thinners, complicating her chronic kidney disease.

To tackle this, Dr. Vanchilingam and his team used a state-of-the-art device called ‘Neqstent’, instead of the conventional Y-stent, to successfully treat the brain aneurysm, preventing the patient from the risk of stroke.

“Aneurysm can cause life-threatening brain bleeds. Minimally invasive does not just mean it is the best. It also needs the right expertise and infrastructure to decide what’s best for the patient, and advancements like this can help us prevent putting the patient on lifelong blood thinner tablets which can cause other problems, particularly considering Usharani’s renal issues,” said Dr. Vanchiligam.

He noted that using a 14 mm Neqstent for a brain aneurysm of this size is a first for South India. The patient underwent surgery on August 15 and was discharged within a week. Mallika Mohandas, Chairperson, MIOT International, and Ms. Usharani were present at the press meet.

Published - September 27, 2024 07:42 pm IST