Doctors at a city hospital removed a giant aneurysm almost the size of a tennis ball from the brain of a 52-year-old Iraqi woman. A team of three surgeons performed a minimally invasive brain surgery using flow diverter technique to save Sundus Salman, whose aneurysm had relapsed after eight years.
According to BLK Super Speciality neurosurgery director and head Vikas Gupta, aneurysms larger than 2 cm are rare and are called “giant aneurysms”. “Salman’s aneurysm was seven centimetres, which is extremely huge and surgery in such cases carries huge risks given that it involves vital areas in the brain. 3D imaging helped in taking all the precautions as it helped us define high-risk areas. Her case is a good example of how technology is enabling us to deal with complex cases with ease,” said Dr Gupta.
Ms Salman approached doctors in the last week of November with a huge bulge in her brain and restricted eye movement which she was suffering from for the last eight years. Her aneurysm surgery earlier had failed and this time there were greater chances of the aneurysm rupturing because of its size. Doctors claimed that she, however, displayed exemplary courage and survived the removal.
She had earlier been operated upon in Turkey. Her aneurysm was previously treated with stent-assisted coil embolisation in 2007. “Unfortunately, it was not adequate and seven years later the aneurysm recurred in much larger form and shape. The 3D imaging and angiogram displayed that microsurgical option was risky due to its giant size and location near the artery which branches to the eyes. Bypass of the main artery was ruled out,” said Y.P. Bundela, senior consultant (neurosurgery).
Doctors explained that a new option was explored to stop the aneurysm from growing further by stopping the flow of blood towards it.
“A newer form of technique using Max Merlin device to divert the flow of blood was mounted on the bulge of the aneurysm. This resulted in diverting the blood flow away from the bulge. The entire procedure was done successfully in the first week of December. Salman’s eye movements and vision improved the next day and she was discharged after a week,” Dr Gupta added.
