Intracranial aneurysm clipping

Primary intracranial aneurysms (i.e., those not associated with infectious or traumatic causes) are found in approximately 1-3% of the population, although the prevalence is higher in women, smokers, and patients with a genetic predisposition (i.e., autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease or a family member with subarachnoid hemorrhage [SAH]) [ 1- 3 ]. The natural history of intracranial aneurysms is heavily dependent on the location of the aneurysm and the aneurysm geometry (i.e., diameter, aspect ratio, size of the parent artery, etc.) at the time of discovery [ 4- 6 ]. Other factors which may affect the natural history include a previous history of SAH, a familial history of SAH, presence of connective tissue disease, cocaine abuse, and heavy alcohol intake [ 7 ]. In addition, patient factors, such as smoking, hypertension, and other causes of systemic inflammation can increase the risk of aneurysmal rupture [ 8 ].