Aneurysm Coil Embolization

  • A minimally invasive procedure that treats brain aneurysms from inside the blood vessel, without opening the skull
  • A microcatheter is navigated from a small puncture in the wrist or groin up into the aneurysm itself
  • Soft platinum coils are placed inside the aneurysm sac, filling it so that blood no longer enters and the vessel wall can heal
  • For wide-necked aneurysms, a balloon or stent may be used to hold the coils securely in place (balloon- or stent-assisted coiling)
  • Used both for unruptured aneurysms and as emergency treatment for ruptured aneurysms
  • Most patients with unruptured aneurysms go home within a day, with follow-up imaging to confirm the aneurysm remains closed
Aneurysm Coil Embolization