Unruptured Brain Aneurysm

I was diagnosed a year ago with a "posterior communicating artery" aneurysm. Unfortunately, it was found during an MRI check up for a meningioma I had removed via brain surgery. I wasn't in a space to deal with my new diagnosis, the aneurysm, so I did nothing for 6 months. I happened upon the most informative site regarding aneurysms that answered all my questions. Dr. Omar Chouddhri is a neurosurgeon at the University of Pennsylvania. I found a 35 minute presentation given by him on You Tube.com by typing in "Omar Chouddhri aneurysm video" in the search bar. He explained everything in a way a non-medical person could understand. I had already researched many websites with information on aneurysms through Mayo Clinic , Cleveland Clinic, Stanford, etc. but after watching that video I made my decision that I needed to follow up and have it coiled. So I took a quick mini-vacation to Hawaii and then came home and got serious about conferring with a neurosurgeon who specializes in aneurysm repairs. I had the procedure a week before Christmas. Not a big deal. And to answer your question, my understanding is that generally, any aneurysm over 5 mm needs to have an intervention of some kind. Once again, as with meningiomas of the brain, one's age, the location of the aneurysm, and it's size all play into the decision of how to deal with it. Hope that helps.

Recalling Neurosurgeon conversation, below 5mm is considered small. Between 5 & 7 mm is medium and over 7 is large

Diagnosed with an aneurism in my “posterior communicating artery” but don’t know the size yet. Can any of you tell me what is considered small, medium and large, or does it depend on the artery?

Hi. I know this is an old thread but I am in the same boat. Any new advice or updates?

sarahjo900: Hello, I hope your appointment 3 days ago went well in that you were able to consult with a neuro doc with a nice demeanor, got a clear explanation of your situation, and had all your questions answered.

Headache is symptoms of BA.
Any BA size under 10mm is very dangerous for surgery. Risks outweigh the benefits provided by Neurosurgeons. I saw two doctors who gave me the advice.

That’s great info! I’m sure everyone is different, but this at least makes me fell hopeful. Thank you. I found out last Friday and then went into the weekend without even a chance to talk to anyone. I’ve been pretty anxious - which I’m sure is doing wonders for my BP!

Additional CT scans tomorrow and appointment is on Monday, Mar 31.

Sarahjo; I had a 6mm aneurysm coiled 3 months ago. I had asked my neurosurgeon at UCSF
(rated #3 for neurosurgery in the U.S. based on U.S, News and World Report's annual rankings)
about any limitations after the coiling procedure and he said there were no restrictions. But I was told 6 months prior to having the aneurysm coiled that the most important thing was to keep my blood pressure below 130 and not to do anything that puts my head upside-down, both which add pressure to the aneurysm and could cause it to leak out.

Hi, @sarahjo900 - welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. It would frustrate me to have a headache at the beginning of each day I was trying to spend skiing. I'm glad you found out about your 4 mm aneurysm, just to be informed.

The question about surgical treatments like coiling/clipping/stent and whether you will be able to do things like ski is perfect for a neurologist or a neurosurgeon who performs these procedures.

When is the first appointment you mentioned? How have symptoms been since the aneurysm was discovered?