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Brain Surgeons at Skyline Using Newest Technology to Repair Aneurysms

NASHVILLE, TN.  January 20, 2004 - Neurosurgeons on Skyline’s medical staff are among the first in the state to use the newest stent technology available to repair brain aneurysms.  

In the past, doctors could only fix aneurysms, a swelling of a blood vessel in the brain, with major surgery. But now, a new approach using metal coils allows physicians to repair the damaged vessels without cutting through the skull.  The procedure involves feeding the coil through a catheter in the leg and up to the brain.  The material fills the entire aneurysm cavity, preventing any rupture. Then a special stent is placed at the end of the aneurysm to create a permanent seal.  The minimally invasive procedure means there’s a lower chance of complications and a shorter stay in the hospital.

However, people whose aneurysms had a wide neck haven’t been able to be treated with the coil technology until just a few months ago when a new stent was introduced by Boston Scientific.

Neurosurgeon Robert Singer, MD, was the first to use the new technology at Skyline.  “The Neuroform2 Stent is an intracranial stent that can be used to help bridge wide-necked aneurysms that previously we couldn’t treat with a coil.  In order to use a coil, the neck of the aneurysm has to be small enough to secure it.  A broad-based neck allows the coil to fall back into the parent vessel.  Prior to the development of this new stent, these patients would have had no other treatment option but major brain surgery.”

If left untreated, an aneurysm could burst and potentially cause a massive stroke.  And, sometimes traditional surgery is not possible because of the aneurysm’s location, so the new stent brings new hope to people with inoperable brain aneurysms.

Scott Standard, MD, also a neurosurgeon affiliated with Neurological Surgeons, PC, has also used the new technology.

What is a Brain Aneurysm?
A brain aneurysm, also called a cerebral or intracranial aneurysm, is an abnormal bulging outward of one of the arteries in the brain. It is estimated that up to one in 15 people in the United States will develop a brain aneurysm during their lifetime.

Brain aneurysms are often discovered when they rupture, causing bleeding into the brain or the space closely surrounding the brain called the subarachnoid space, causing a subarachnoid hemorrhage. Subarachnoid hemorrhage from a ruptured brain aneurysm can lead to a hemorrhagic stroke, brain damage and death.

The main goals of treatment once an aneurysm has ruptured are to stop the bleeding and potential permanent damage to the brain and to reduce the risk of recurrence. Unruptured brain aneurysms are sometimes treated to prevent rupture.

Approximately 30,000 people suffer from a ruptured brain aneurysm in the US each year. Ten to 15 percent of these patients will die before reaching the hospital and over 50 percent will die within the first thirty days after rupture. Of those who survive, about half suffer some permanent neurological deficit.  Brain aneurysms can occur in people of all ages, but are most commonly detected in those ages 35 to 60 .Women are actually more likely to get a brain aneurysm than men, with a ratio of 3:2.

Ruptured Cerebral Aneurysm Symptoms
Sometimes patients describing "the worst headache in my life" are actually experiencing one of the symptoms of brain aneurysms related to having a rupture. Other ruptured cerebral aneurysm symptoms include:
· Nausea and vomiting
· Stiff neck or neck pain
· Blurred vision or double vision
· Pain above and behind the eye
· Dilated pupils
· Sensitivity to light
· Loss of sensation

Unruptured Cerebral Aneurysm Symptoms
Before an aneurysm ruptures, patients often experience no symptoms of brain aneurysms. In about 40 percent of cases, people with unruptured aneurysms will experience some or all of the following cerebral aneurysm symptoms:
· Peripheral vision deficits
· Thinking or processing problems
· Speech complications
· Perceptual problems
· Sudden changes in behavior
· Loss of balance and coordination
· Decreased concentration
· Short-term memory difficulty
· Fatigue

Because the symptoms of brain aneurysms can also be associated with other medical conditions, diagnostic neuroradiology is regularly used to identify both ruptured and unruptured brain aneurysms.

About Skyline Medical Center
Located at 3441 Dickerson Pike on the highest point in Davidson County, Skyline Medical Center is an ultra-modern facility, featuring all private patient rooms.  Part of the TriStar Health System family of hospitals, the facility opened in the fall of 2000 as a replacement hospital for Nashville Memorial Hospital. Offering advanced medical capabilities, Skyline Medical Center is particularly known for its neurosurgery, oncology, orthopaedics, and emergency services. Skyline’s 59-acre campus is also home to the 200,000 square-foot Skyline Medical Plaza, which provides convenient access to physician offices and a pharmacy.

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