Aneurysm Tests & Treatments at University of Colorado Hospital
Tests for Aneurysm
Your doctor will conduct a physical exam to determine if you need additional tests to detect an aneurysm. Tests include:
Ultrasound
The ultrasound test uses a wand that emits painless, high-frequency sound waves that produce pictures of the blood flow in the artery. Your doctor uses these pictures to determine if there is a restriction or abnormality in the vessel.
CT Scan
CT scans take C-ray pictures that appear as slices of the artery and of the brain. The pictures allow your doctor to identify areas of poor blood flow or abnormality. The CT scan is painless, but you will be required to lie still on a table for a period of time.
CT Angiography
A CT angiography (CTA) is a CT scan that includes X-ray dye that your doctor injects to make the blood vessels stand out for viewing.
Aneurysm Treatments
Clip Ligation
Your surgeon may use a clip to pinch off the neck of the aneurysm. The clip ensures that blood does not flow from the artery into the aneurysm and weaken the artery wall.
Coils
A minimally invasive surgical procedure uses small platinum coils to block an aneurysm. Your surgeon places the coils by threading a thin, flexible tube called a catheter through a small incision in the groin. The catheter is guided into the blood vessel with the aneurysm, and the coil is released. Usually several coils are required to completely fill the aneurysm and block the flow of blood to it.
Stents
Your doctor may be able to treat your aneurysm with a minimally invasive procedure, using a wire mesh tube called a stent. You will be anesthetized locally, after which a catheter will be threaded through a small opening in your groin. When the catheter reaches the artery, your doctor will insert the stent into the artery. The stent lines the interior of the artery and allows blood to pass through without placing stress on the aneurysm.
Surgical Aneurysm Repair
You may need surgery to repair a life-threatening aneurysm, such as one in the aorta, the main artery of your body. Your surgeon will make incisions at the site of the aneurysm, clamp the artery and remove blood clots and plaque from the aneurysm. Very often your surgeon will then sew a graft to the artery above and below the aneurysm, allowing the blood to bypass the aneurysm.