Microsurgical treatment of internal carotid artery aneurysms

Abstract

Cases (70) of internal carotid artery aneurysm were operated on utilizing the surgical microscope. There were 3 deaths (4.3% mortality), 1 of which occurred in a deeply comatose apneic patient. Fifty-nine patients (84%) had excellent results. Four (6%) had postoperative morbidity directly related to their operation; 3 of them were operated on within 2 wk after subarachnoid hemorrhage and had neurological deficits attributed to cerebrovascular spasm. The low morbidity and mortality rates are partially related to patient selection and are significantly influenced by improved surgical techniques made possible by the microscope and microsurgical instrumentation. Microsurgery should be standard procedure for craniotomy for intracranial aneurysm.